Reversal
by Immortal Spud Thief
Summary: Multi-chap. It's not Nikki who is injured this time, but she still has to look after Harry when it's him who is hurt. Plus, they both have to deal with their feelings for the other. It's kind of evolved into a holiday fic as well, blame the muse.
1. Chapter 1

**New fic, while I'm on holiday as well :D. There will probably be smut somewhere in this fic, just not right now. I'll warn you if/when there is.**

* * *

Nikki groaned loudly as the loud ringing of her phone cut through a very nice dream she was having, involving her and a certain male pathologist by the name of Harry Cunningham. She tried to ignore the ringing, but it just kept on going. Annoyed at whoever it was interrupting her dream, and waking her up at, she checked the clock, half past seven, on her day off, she reached over and picked up the ringing object.

"Yes?" she snapped, sleep still trying to draw her back in, but she resisted.

"_Nikki it's Leo"_

'Bloody hell' Nikki thought "This better not be about work Leo"

"_It's not, it's about Harry, he's been taken to hospital"_

"What?" Nikki asked, sitting up straight away, all tiredness gone from her as she heard those words from her older friend. "What happened? Is he alright?"

"_There was some sort of accident at the crime scene, I don't know details yet. But they suspect that he's broken his leg"_

Nikki let out a breath that she didn't even know she was holding. At least it wasn't too bad.

"Where is he?"

"_Queens"_ Leo replied _"Look, I'd go, but the scene needs a pathologist and..."_

"I'll go and check on the invalid" Nikki giggled, swinging her legs out of the bed and standing up, stretching slightly and wincing as her back clicked. "I'll call you with details about the KAD"

Leo laughed loudly and Nikki couldn't help but grin as she walked towards her wardrobe, wondering what to wear. Then she realised it was the hospital, no-one there to impress.

'Just Harry' a small voice in her head said but Nikki glared into her wardrobe and ignored it. Leo meanwhile was talking to someone else that was in the room with him, giving Nikki time to decide between a red low cut top, and a green one.

'Damn it' she thought 'When did I start dressing to impress Harry?'

'Since you admitted to yourself that you're in l..'

"Mumford's here with details" Leo interrupted the voice in Nikki's head. Nikki silently thanked him. "See what you can get out of Harry? And give him my regards, tell him that it's good to have someone else in hospital for once"

"Of course" Nikki replied absentmindedly, not really listening to Leo as she choose a light blue t-shirt instead, determined not to give in to the little voice in her head. "I'll talk to you later"

She then hung up and threw her phone back on the bed, pulling out some figure hugging jeans, before thinking better of it and putting them back, choosing a knee length skirt instead.

--------

"Dr Alexander?"

Nikki looked up from the out of date magazine she was reading in the hospital waiting room and nodded at the middle-aged doctor who had just walked into the room. He walked over and shook her hand, giving her a bright smile as he held the door open for her. He introduced himself as Dr Halford.

"How's Harry?" Nikki enquired as they walked along the corridors.

"His left leg is broken in two places" Dr Halford explained "We've put a cast on it, but he'll be needing crutches for a few weeks"

Nikki had to stifle a giggle at the thought of Harry with a cast and crutches. She knew he would be unbearable with them on. She made a note to ask him if she could sign it, just to see his reaction.

"Does he live alone?"

"Yes" Nikki replied, feeling slightly guilty at the fact that she was pleased about this. The doctor made a small noise to make sure Nikki knew he had heard her, and stopped outside of a hospital room, pushing the door open and allowing Nikki to enter first. "Good morning Dr Cunningham" she grinned as she saw Harry sitting on the bed, a grumpy look on his face, a white cast on his lower left leg. Crutches propped at the side of the bed.

"Oh you can bugger off" Harry muttered, but a smile broke over his face as Nikki reached down and hugged him. Harry couldn't help but pull her closer, breathing in her perfume. A small part of him hoped that the doctor thought that she was his in some way. Nikki however moved away from him slightly and pressed a kiss to his cheek, her lips lingering longer than they normally did.

"How are you?" she asked softly as she moved away, neither of them letting the other's hand go as it rested on the duvet. Nikki sat down next to Harry on the bed as he shrugged.

"Been better"

"I'm sure" Nikki giggled as she shook her head, glancing down at his leg "Can I sign it?"

Harry shoved her away slightly with his free hand, the other still wrapped around Nikki's. He shook his head and pretended to be insulted, but a smile broke over his face and he chuckled.

"Maybe"

"Now Harry, if I could drag you away from your girlfriend for a few minutes" Dr Halford chuckled as he looked down at his notes, completely missing the slight blush on Nikki's face, and the way she averted her eyes from Harry, who looked at her with a small smile on his face. Neither of them corrected him. "As you know, you've broken your leg in two places and you will need to use crutches for at least five weeks"

Harry sighed loudly, shaking his head.

"What about work?"

"Desk work only, after the week that I'm signing you off" Dr Halford replied, making Harry groan and lean his head against the wall behind the bed "Now Dr Alexander says that you live alone, is there any way that you could stay with her for a few weeks?"

Harry and Nikki shared a quick look, before the female pathologist turned to the doctor and nodded.

"He can stay with me"

"Honey are you sure your father will be okay with that?" Harry asked suddenly, reaching over and placing his hand on her arm, a smirk threatening to break over his face as he spoke "I know I promised him, with him being so conservative an all, that I wouldn't live with you until we are married"

"What do you think we'll be doing s_weetheart?_" Nikki replied, smirking at the man in the bed "You're not considering taking me to bed are you? Not before our wedding"

"I'm not sure that I could stop myself" Harry sighed dramatically, shaking his head and trying to look upset about that fact. He actually wasn't lying when he said that. Living with Nikki for six weeks was going to be hell on his hand.

"I'll talk to daddy" Nikki said, putting on a slightly snooty voice, but a giggle escaped her lips.

"Thank you dear" Harry whispered, and for appearance's sake, or that's what he was telling himself, he leant over and pressed his lips to Nikki's.

"When can he leave?" Nikki asked quickly, turning away from Harry and facing the doctor, trying to stop Harry from seeing the flush that was on her cheeks. She didn't want him to think that she was acting like a teenager with a crush.

"I'd like to keep Harry here for a few more hours" Dr Halford replied, a smile breaking over his face as he saw how in love the couple in front of him was. "I'll be back to discharge you in a few hours, but someone will be around soon to help you use your crutches"

Harry just nodded a small sigh escaping his lips, he didn't like the idea of being tied down by the crutches for six or so weeks. Dr Halford then nodded to the both of them, before turning and walking out of the room.

"So" Nikki whispered, turning back to Harry who was looking at her closely "That kiss was just acting, right?"

"Of course it was" Harry nodded quickly, his mind telling him to tell her the truth. That it wasn't just an act.

* * *

**Thought about giving Harry some nasty disease or illness, but decided against it. A niceish, mundane leg break for Harry.**

**xxx**


	2. Chapter 2

"Right Harry, you're ready to go" Dr Halford said later that afternoon as he checked on Harry one last time. The disgruntled male pathologist was sitting on the edge of his bed, his crutches laying on the bed next to him, Nikki trying her hardest not to giggle. Harry saw this and threw her a dirty look.

"Have you talked to your father yet?" Harry enquired, and Nikki saw the challenge in his eyes. Knowing that he would have to return to the hospital a few times before his cast was taken off, they would have to keep up the act. She smirked and nodded, up for the challenge.

"Daddy says that it's okay, as long as you don't take me to bed. You can sleep in the spare room" she replied, flicking her loose hair over her shoulder and giving Harry one of her smiles, which made his heart jump in his chest.

"Her father is a bit conservative" Harry told Dr Halford, who just nodded and smiled at the pair "When Nicola first introduced us, he made me promise not to take her to bed until our wedding night"

Nikki tried not to laugh loudly behind Dr Halford's back as Harry spoke.

"But she's worth it, I'm willing to wait" Harry added, looking Nikki straight in the eye as he said this. Nikki thought she saw something other than amusement in his eyes, but he looked away quickly and grabbed his crutches as Dr Halford spoke. However Nikki didn't hear what the older man was saying. She was too busy wondering how she was going to survive at least six or so weeks living and working with Harry.

"Nicola sweetheart"

Her heart jumped and her stomach flipped when she heard Harry say those words, she then looked up and saw him standing, propped up by the crutches.

"Shall we go?"

"Of course darling" she smiled shakily as Dr Halford held the door open for them. Harry hobbled out of the room, and Nikki let out a loud giggle, making Harry glare at her. "Come on hobble, let's get you home"

-------

"Nikki"

Nikki looked around from where she was dishing up dinner and smiled at Harry who was sitting at the kitchen table.

"Thank you for letting me stay with you"

Nikki knew it had taken Harry an awful lot of pride to say that, even if it was just her he was saying it to.

"You're welcome" she replied, placing a plate of mashed potato, sausage and peas in front of her best friend. "Anyway, I couldn't let you go home could I?" Nikki enquired as she scooped some potato and peas onto her fork "You would have fallen and broken the other leg"

Harry just gave her a withering look and dug into his food, leaving Nikki to giggle to herself.

------

"That was gorgeous" Harry said as he placed his knife and fork down on his empty plate, reaching over and picking up his glass of orange juice. Nikki had refused to give him wine, on count of his painkillers. "I didn't know you could cook"

Nikki just rolled her eyes, not taking Harry's comment to heart as he grinned at her over the top of his glass.

"I have talents that you don't know of" she told him, putting the last piece of sausage in her mouth and sitting back on her chair as Harry raised an eyebrow.

"I'm sure all of those unsuitable men appreciate these talents"

Nikki just glared at him and stood up, pushing her chair back violently as she did so. She grabbed both empty plates and placed them by the sink, not looking at Harry once as she did so.

"Nikki, I'm sorry" she heard Harry say, and she had to blink away tears, hoping that he didn't see. She hated talking about the men that she had taken home, it made her feel dirty and used. However, she tried to make a joke out of it around Harry and Leo. "I didn't mean..."

"It's fine" Nikki told him, turning and giving him a smile as she ran the water in the sink "I'm just tired that's all"

"Let me wash up, you can have a nice relaxing bath and then go to bed" Harry suggested seriously, wondering why his comment had made Nikki act like that. He frequently made jokes about her men, it hadn't affected her before, she was always so light-hearted about it.

"and have you fall over and break your other leg?" Nikki chuckled, shaking her head and giving Harry a genuine smile "You go to bed"

"No, let me do it" Harry shook his head, standing up and hobbling over to Nikki, with the help of his crutches. "It's my fault that you were up early, and on your day off as well"

He reached over and lay one hand gently on Nikki's arm, trying to ignore the jolt in his stomach when their skin connected, completely missing the small breath that Nikki took in as they touched. Nikki turned away slightly, hoping that Harry didn't see the slight blush that formed on her cheeks, their close proximity wasn't helping matters either.

"It's fine" she told Harry, pushing him slightly and laughing at him "Go on hobble, go and watch television or something if you're not going to bed"

"Am I going to have to put up with this for the next six weeks?" Harry asked as he finally gave up and hobbled towards the kitchen doorway and into the living room.

"What do you think?" Nikki smirked at him, flicking bubbles in his direction. Harry chuckled and shook his head, making his way towards the sofa as he did so.

Nikki took a deep breath, leaning over the sink and shaking her head. No man had ever affected her in this way before, never had she felt her stomach do flips every time a man had walked into the room, and she prided herself for never blushing around a man, whether he was attractive or not. But Harry was different, her body just reacted to him. Nikki felt herself flushing again as she thought of what her subconscious had made her dream as well, heat pooling in her stomach as she remembered some of them. She shook her head, trying to dispel the thoughts as she continued to wash up.

Harry wasn't really watching the television, he was staring at it, thinking about the woman in the kitchen. The beautiful woman in the kitchen. He licked his lips, wondering what it would be like to kiss her properly, not just a small peck like in the hospital. He wondered how a woman could affect him as much as Nikki did. All she had to do was walk into the room with one of those grins on her faces and his body instantly reacted to her. Just like it was doing now, just thinking about her. Harry let out a small groan and leant his head back on the sofa, knowing that it was more than just a small crush that he had on his best friend. That was what scared him the most, knowing that it was more than he was used to, more than just being attracted to her. There was something about Nikki that made him want to be a gentleman and woo her, something that he had never felt before in his life.

"Harry are you okay? You look tired"

He jumped slightly and turned his head to see Nikki leaning in the doorway of the living room, arms crossed over her chest, her loose hair falling down over her shoulders, a small smile on her face and her deep brown eyes lit up with amusement. Harry hoped that his reaction didn't show too much as he shifted slightly.

"I think I'll go to bed" he nodded, standing up shakily and gripping on to his crutches. "I'll see you in the morning"

"Yeah. Goodnight" Nikki replied, walking over to him and pressing her lips quickly to his cheek, before picking up the remote. Missing the small smile that Harry had on his face as he hobbled out of the room.

"Night" he murmured as he closed the door behind him.

* * *

**So how long should I drag out the tension between Harry and Nikki? I don't want it getting boring for you :D.**

**xxx**


	3. Chapter 3

Harry had to bite back a loud groan as he woke up the next morning. He' d been having a nice dream about him and Nikki, involving a cutting room table, and no clothes. He hoped he hadn't moaned her name too loudly, in case she had been passing his room and had heard him. Harry then sat up slightly, sighing as he felt his body's reaction to the dream. He bit his lip and shook his head, slowly sliding his legs out of the bed.

------

"Morning" Nikki yawned as she wandered into the kitchen, still dressed in her pyjamas, Harry already sitting at the table nursing a mug of coffee between his hands.

"Morning" Harry replied, glancing up from the mug as she walked past. His throat went dry when he saw the pyjama shorts that Nikki was wearing, he'd always taken her for a trouser person, and the tank top that barely covered her stomach. The light blue dressing gown she wore, got caught on the chair as she passed, giving Harry a very nice view of her bum. He almost choked on his coffee as he realised that she wasn't wearing a bra, and averted his eyes as she turned to look at him.

"How did you sleep?"

"Like a baby" Harry told her with a grin, and Nikki giggled as she turned back to the coffee machine, pouring herself a mug "Don't you have work today?"

"Nope" she shook her head, her slightly curled hair swaying, distracting Harry and making him want to reach over and run it through his fingers. "Leo made me take another day, to look after you"

"Oh come _on_" Harry muttered as Nikki shrugged, licking her lips as she took a sip of her coffee. Harry resisted the urge to lean over and kiss her, looking quickly down at his mug.

"I personally don't think you need looking after"

"Wow" Harry raised an eyebrow, leaning back in his chair and smirking at his best friend "I can't believe you just said that"

"Only because I know you" Nikki replied, putting her mug on the table and shrugging again "and if I was in the same situation, I would hate to be babied"

"That's because you're an independent woman, you don't let anyone tell you what to do"

Nikki gave him a small smile and chuckled, nodding slightly.

"I suppose that's true" she told him quietly as Harry drained the rest of his coffee "How's your leg?" she asked, successfully changing the subject. "It didn't give you grief last night did it?"

"No, the painkillers worked fine" he told her. The dreams however had kept him _up. _He coughed slightly, not surprised at all by his own thoughts "You couldn't take me home could you? I need to get some clothes and things if I'm going to stay here for six weeks" he paused and observed Nikki as she nodded, silently telling him that she would take him home. "You don't mind do you? I'm not..interrupting or intruding am I?"

"No Harry" Nikki giggled "It's fine. I'm not going to leave you to cope on your own"

"I can cope fine on my own"

"Of course you can" Nikki nodded, standing up and grabbing both of their empty mugs and walking over to the sink "have you called your mum to tell her what happened?"

"No" Harry said quickly, shaking his head vigorously, his bangs falling over his face slightly. Nikki resisted the urge to run her hands through his hair, wanting to feel it beneath her fingers. "I'm not going to tell her either"

"Why?"

"She will worry, believe it or not" Harry rolled his eyes, shaking his head "Please"

"Fine" Nikki shrugged "She's your mother"

She turned to her fridge, opening it and then looking back at Harry.

"What do you fancy for breakfast?"

'You' he thought 'Up against that fridge' "I don't mind" he said out loud "Actually, I'll have toast and jam. If you have any"

"Sure" Nikki nodded, pulling out the milk for her cereal "Sit down" she told him forcibly as he went to get up "You're meant to be resting"

"I don't like sitting here while you do everything" Harry sighed, putting his crutches down again and leaning back against the chair.

"You're an invalid Harry" Nikki giggled, she enjoyed calling him that because she knew it annoyed him "But don't think it's going to last beyond the time that you're in plaster"

"Oh why not?" Harry pouted "I might get used to it"

"You better not" Nikki warned, brandishing a butter knife at him as she spread jam on his toast "I'm not your bloody house wife"

"You wouldn't be my _house_ wife" Harry said without thinking "You'd obviously work as well"

There was a sudden silence throughout the kitchen as they both processed what he had just said.

"I mean..if we were married..which we're not" Harry added quickly, rubbing the side of his nose in embarrassment. "What else are you doing today? Apart from looking after this invalid"

"Shopping" Nikki replied, placing the toast in front of Harry and sitting down again, flicking her hair over her shoulders. Harry groaned loudly and took a bite of his toast, chewing it thoughtfully "I haven't been in a while and I need some new clothes"

"Women" Harry muttered, swallowing his toast and trying to look innocent as Nikki threw him a withering look.

"Well it's coming up for summer" Nikki shrugged "and I need some more dresses and skirts. You can help me chose if you want" she added the last bit as a joke, chuckling to herself, pretty shocked when Harry nodded.

"Okay"

"I was joking"

"I want to get out of the house" Harry told her, smirking slightly "Even if it means being dragged around twenty million shops with you"

"You know there's a reason that the doctor gave you a week off work, to _rest_" Nikki shook her head as she stood up, grabbing her empty bowl and Harry's empty plate. "I don't want to make your leg even worse"

"Nikki" Harry sighed "It's my leg and I am responsible for it" he paused and frowned "That is one of the weirdest things I've ever said". This made Nikki giggle loudly, and in turn, made Harry's heart jump happily. "anyway, if I make it worse then I'll take the blame. I just don't want to be cooped up in your house with only old Mills and Boon to read"

"Fine Harry" Nikki told him as she put the washed up plate and dish on the draining wrack. She then frowned and turned to him, glaring "and I don't read Mills and Boon"

Harry just laughed loudly and stood up shakily, grabbing his crutches and hobbling to the kitchen door.

"Whatever you say" he grinned "I believe you, thousands wouldn't"

"Get out of here" Nikki rolled her eyes, throwing the tea-towel at him, making Harry laugh again and move backwards as quickly as he could "Go and do something useful while I clean up and get ready"

Harry just nodded, but didn't move as Nikki turned back to wiping up their breakfast things. He was distracted momentarily by her dressing gown moving out of the way and showing her legs in all their glory. Then his eyes moved up her perfectly toned stomach and then higher, knowing that she wasn't wearing a bra made his throat go dry and his trousers tightened slightly as he bit back a small moan. He wanted to march over there, or stumble in his case, and kiss her, to run his hands through her long soft hair, to touch her and make her moan his name as he made love to her. But he knew he couldn't. He let out a small sigh and turned around, hobbling through the house, all his thoughts about Nikki were doing nothing for his growing problem, so he made a beeline for the bathroom, hoping that the owner wasn't going to wander past anytime soon.

* * *

**Yeah this story is sickly cheesy and trust me it's probably going to get worse...but I can only write cheesy stuff when it comes to Harry and Nikki, it's just natural :D**

**xxx**


	4. Chapter 4

"How many clothes do women need?" Harry moaned later that afternoon as he was dragged in yet another clothes shop by Nikki. She already had three bags of clothes, most of them dresses and skirts, which Harry had seen her try on, and knew that they would be plaguing his mind for the next few days. They left little to the imagination as far as Harry was concerned, but Nikki looked gorgeous in them.

"We're not like men" Nikki replied as she flicked through a rail of dresses "We don't see something we like and buy all the different colours in that style, we like..Harry are you alright?"

Harry meanwhile had been glaring at a man who had walked past, staring at Nikki as though Christmas had come early. He had then taken one look at Harry and averted his eyes quickly, hoping that Harry hadn't noticed him.

"What?" Harry enquired as he turned back to Nikki, who had taken a quick glance at the other man.

"Nothing" she rolled her eyes at Harry and then turned back to the dresses, leaving Harry to observe her closely. Her hair was tied up in a messy bun, ringlets that weren't long enough to reach, hung around her face, which Nikki kept pushing behind her ear at random intervals. They always fell back down again, which was the source of some amusement from Harry. She was wearing a knee length summer dress, the weather had taken a turn and it was quite hot, so Nikki had unknowingly to her, decided to torture Harry with the dress she was wearing. It was light blue, with thin straps, and allowed Harry, and every other man he reminded himself, to get a nice view of her breasts.

"Harry"

Nikki's voice broke Harry out of his thoughts, and he looked up at her face, knowing that he had been caught staring at her. Hoping that she hadn't seen him staring at her chest, one broken leg was enough for him, he didn't fancy a broken nose. Nikki however had been watching him for a while, and had seen him looking her up and down. However, he didn't have a lust filled expression like most men had when she caught them looking at her, Harry's was softer, and there was another expression on his face that Nikki couldn't quite decipher. She rolled her eyes and called his name, giggling slightly as he jumped and quickly averted his gaze from her chest, to her eyes, a soft blush rising on his cheeks, something that Nikki hadn't seen before on him.

"This one?" she asked, holding up a mid thigh length pink dress that had thin straps at the shoulders. She saw Harry swallow slightly and nod.

"Yeah" he shrugged, trying not to seem interested in the fact that she would be showing an awful lot of skin when she wore it. 'No different from now then' a voice in his head said 'You can see all the men looking at her'. Harry shifted uncomfortably and looked around the shop as Nikki draped the dress over her arm and carried on looking around for clothes. He was hoping that everyone in the shop thought that he and Nikki were an item, hoping that every man knew that Nikki was off limits to all of them. However, Harry knew deep down that she wasn't off limits to any man, apart from him, because they weren't together.

---------

As they sat in the cafe, Nikki stirred her coffee thoughtfully, wondering if she should ask her shopping companion, or as Harry put it, 'torture companion', the question that was on her mind.

"Harry?"

"Hmm?" he replied, looking away from the jewellery shop that he was absentmindedly staring at "Yes?"

"Have you ever been in love?"

'Yes, with you' his mind screamed, but Harry knew that it wouldn't go down well. Telling his best friend that he was in love with her wasn't really the way forward in his books. "I don't...no" he replied slowly, shaking his head "No I haven't". 'Liar' his mind hissed at him. "Not even with Penny"

"Really?" Nikki asked, hoping to everything that she believe in that she didn't sound too relieved. Maybe she was being jealous, but she wanted all of Harry to herself. She then had to remind herself that they weren't together and that Harry thought of her as a friend and nothing more. This caused a lump to rise in her throat, which she swallowed instantly. There was no way that Harry could, or would, love her as more than a friend.

"I was young" Harry shrugged "I don't think I knew was love was"

"Sorry to pry" Nikki told him, staring into her coffee as she stirred it "I was just curious"

"That's alright" Harry chuckled, grinning at Nikki as she looked up at him, making her stomach do a flip "You're a woman, it's your job to be nosey"

"Git" Nikki giggled good-naturedly.

"Tart" Harry responded just as quickly. Nikki threw him a withering look and kicked his good leg under the table. "Ow. I'm an invalid, don't abuse me"

"What actually happened?" Nikki asked suddenly, realising that Harry hadn't given her the full account. The man opposite her drained his mug and put it back on the table, leaning on the table as he did so.

"I was at the scene, it was an old rundown house. The victim was, looked like, he had been homeless for quite some time and was just squatting inside for a while. But the house decided that it didn't want us forensics and police stamping around in it and one of the walls fell down"

"and I thought it was a dramatic story of you fighting the perpetrator when they came back to the scene" Nikki sighed, leaning her chin on her hand and grinning at her friend "You've just shattered a girls dreams"

"Of a knight in shining armour?" Harry asked, leaning over the table slightly so their faces were closer.

"Of course. Isn't that what every girl dreams of? A knight in shining armour to rescue them?" Nikki giggled, also leaning closer. Harry's eyes flicked to her lips as Nikki spoke, wanting more than anything to lean over and kiss her, like he had done in the hospital, to tell her that it wasn't just acting in the hospital.

"Well from the amount of danger you get into" Harry told her, making Nikki grin at him, that infuriating grin that had his trousers tightening every time she did it "I think you do need a knight to rescue you"

"Know anyone?" Nikki enquired, her voice barely a whisper, her eyes flicking to Harry's lips. Her heart felt like it was going to burst out of her chest, and she knew if she didn't move away from Harry very soon, then she would do something that she would regret. Like kissing him and then getting rejected, and their friendship crumbling underneath her. She couldn't let that happen, so she dragged herself away from Harry, missing the disappointed look that crossed over his face as she drained the rest of her coffee and stood up. "Come on, there are more shops that I need to go in to"

--------

That night as she lay in bed, Nikki wondered why Harry affected her the way he did. She found herself wanting to be in his presence all the time, and when she was, she felt like that she was not only in the safest place in the world, but also like she was the only woman in the world, even when Harry wasn't even talking to her. Of course she had had feelings for other men, she'd been attracted to them, but what she felt for Harry was completely different, she had never felt this way about any other man. The way he looked at her sometimes confused her, sometimes he looked at her and she could see something in his eyes that she couldn't quite understand, like that afternoon in the shop, and when they were having coffee. Nikki turned over in bed with a frustrated sigh. She knew that she was in love with her best friend. She also knew that he didn't love her back though, that he thought that she was some sort of slag. He hadn't voiced it, but Nikki knew, by the look he got in his eyes when one of her men turned up at the lab, or she mention, very rarely, one of her ex's. Her eyes filled with tears as she thought this, she wasn't proud of herself, far from it actually, but she needed something to take her mind off her best friend. None of the men had done this though, and all the while that she had been shagging them, she had imagined that it was Harry. It made her feel less dirty the next day. With one last sigh, Nikki wiped her face free of tears and closed her eyes, hoping to get some kind of sleep before the morning.

* * *

**Yay! More cheesy-fluffiness XD. That's probably what this story is going to be, pure cheesy-fluff :D**

**Oh by the way, for those who have read 'For the Love of Art', I'm thinking of doing a sequal after I finish this fic. Yes or No? That'll probably be a casefic or something.**

**xxx**


	5. Chapter 5

"Morning" Leo greeted Nikki as he walked through from the cutting room, holding a file in his hands. Nikki looked up from the paperwork that she had strewn over the desk a few minutes beforehand and smiled at the older man.

"Morning" she replied, picking up a pen and tapping it on the desk as she spoke.

"How's Harry?"

Leo walked over to Nikki and leant on the edge of the desk, Harry's desk to be precise, and crossed his arms over his chest as Nikki leant back on her chair and turned to him.

"Frustrated" 'Like you' the voice in her head said 'Only you're frustrated for a different reason' "He wants to work"

"Well he's only got a week off" Leo shrugged, tapping the folder onto his arm as he spoke, staring off into his office before turning back to Nikki "But he's going to be in here doing paperwork until the cast comes off"

"If I'm honest, I'm sure he will even jump at the chance to do that" Nikki giggled "He just wants to get out of the house. I even had to take him shopping yesterday, for fear he'd go out on his own"

"Poor bugger" Leo muttered and Nikki smirked at him "I've been shopping with Janet, I know how you women do it"

"We're not that bad" Nikki protested with a small shake of her head as Leo threw her a condescending look and stood up properly.

"If you say so"

He then wandered into his office, keeping the door open, and sat down at his desk. Nikki turned back to the paperwork in front of her. She was missing Harry's presence already. If they had both been at work, there would have been some sort of banter about her using his desk, then a small argument about who was going to get up and get the coffee, then their almost daily argument about which was better, coffee with sugar or coffee without. They would then get down to doing some work, if they were lucky, an autopsy or two. They would even challenge each other over that, if there was only one. Normally Leo would just roll his eyes at them and tell them to both do it, which they both readily accepted. Neither of them knew that it was just to spend some more time with the other.

-----

Leo watched Nikki discreetly out of his office window, watching as his friend stared off into space, absentmindedly tapping the pen on the desk as she did so. He knew there was something between Harry and Nikki, he would have been blind not to have seen it, and he wondered how they were both coping, living in such close proximity to each other. Leo had always wondered why they hadn't been dating, or even married, for years now. It was obvious that they were perfect for each other, two people who knew everything about the other and still stayed best friends. Maybe Harry's accident would be the catalyst to bring them both together. Leo surely hoped so. Janet kept pestering him about talking to them both, banging their heads together and making them see the truth. Leo just rolled his eyes and turned back to his own paperwork, letting Nikki stew in her own thoughts for a while.

-----

Harry was bored. There was only so much daytime television that someone could take, and he was all Jeremy Kyled out. He had just turned the channel to see if anything else was on and groaned when what looked like yet another repeat of 'Come Dine With Me', started to play on screen. Harry then switched the television off and sat in silence for a few minutes, just staring around Nikki's living room. Standing up, he used his crutches to help him make his way over to the fireplace, where rows of pictures in frames stood on the mantelpiece. There was one of the three of them, Harry, Nikki and Leo, obviously taken in Africa the last time they went. Harry couldn't help but smile as he looked at it. Nikki was standing in the middle of both of the men, her arm around Leo's shoulder and her other around Harry's waist, his own around hers and his hand on her hip. It looked extremely domestic now that Harry could take a proper look at it, a woman going on holiday with her husband and her father, maybe. The next photo was of him and Nikki at Duxford, they'd asked a passerby to take the photo of them, and the woman had asked how long they had been dating. Harry had just grinned, but Nikki had blushed and shaken her head, telling the woman that they were just friends. Harry saw the incredulous look in the woman's eyes, and he knew that she didn't believe Nikki in the slightest. He sighed and turned away from the rest of the pictures to look around the room. He didn't know at what point that he had fallen in love with his best friend, he just knew that he had fallen, and he had fallen hard.

------

"I'm going out tonight Harry" Nikki told him later that afternoon when she got home from work "Do you want to come?"

"Who with?" Harry asked as he turned to look at her, hoping to everything that it wasn't with a man.

"Some old uni friends" Nikki replied absentmindedly when she walked past him to go into the kitchen "We're going for a meal and then to the pub"

"No thanks, you go and spend some time with them"

Nikki tried not to look disappointed as she walked back through the living room, she had wanted Harry to go with her, but she knew that going out with people that one didn't know was quite intimidating, even if Harry wouldn't admit it.

"Okay" she shrugged, and proceeded to change the subject "What have you been doing all day?"

"Well I ran a marathon this morning" Harry replied, causing Nikki to giggle and him to grin "Then I went for a nice long swim after lunch, and I've only just got back from my bike ride"

Nikki shook her head as she continued to giggle, reaching over and punching Harry on the arm as she passed. Harry winced dramatically and rubbed his arm, giving Nikki a pout as she walked past.

"I'm going to get ready" she informed him as she stopped in the doorway "If you change your mind about going then I'm leaving in two hours"

"So is everyone else taking a partner" Harry enquired a few minutes later after having hobbled up the stairs to his friend, stopping her in the hallway as she walked past with a dress draped over her arm. He could have sworn he saw a slither of underwear peaking out underneath as well, and he had a sudden need to see Nikki in them.

"Probably" Nikki shrugged, trying not to sound too bothered "If they have one"

"Well as I have nothing better to do, I will go with you so you don't look like a sad loser with no sex life"

Nikki knew Harry was joking with her when he said this, and she rolled her eyes at him and nodded.

"Fine, it's smart clothes so do attempt to dress up" she commented, looking at Harry's scruffy jeans and t-shirt "Oh and I'm not a sad loser" she grinned, pushing past him and entering the bathroom. It was only when Harry was rooting around in his cupboard for something to wear, when he realised that Nikki didn't deny having no sex life.

--------

Even though it took Harry longer than normal to get ready, he was still quicker than Nikki was. He sat on the edge of his bed, waiting for Nikki to come out of the bathroom so he could have a quick shave before they went out. The bathroom door opened and Harry walked to the door as quickly as he could with two crutches hindering him. He then hobbled out into the hallway and smiled at Nikki, his heart jumping in his chest when he saw what she was wearing. Her red dress came just above her knees, and was tied up with a belt the same colour and material as the dress. The front wasn't too low, but it didn't cover anything up too much either, and the dress framed her figure perfectly.

"So?" Nikki enquired, cocking her head to one side and observing Harry as he starred at her, a dumbstruck look on his face "What do you think?"

"You look absolutely beautiful" Harry told her truthfully, and Nikki flushed slightly when she realised that he wasn't joking.

"Thank you" she replied quietly, fiddling nervously with a strand of her slightly curled hair "Are you nearly ready?"

"I just need a quick shave" Harry nodded, never once taking his eyes off the beautiful woman in front of him "Then I'll be done"

"Don't shave too much" Nikki commented as she walked past, patting him on the cheek as she did so "I like a bit of stubble on my men"

She smirked to herself as she walked down the stairs and grabbed her handbag, making sure everything was in it. Barely five minutes later, Harry hobbled down the stairs, and Nikki was delighted to see that he hadn't shaved properly, if not at all by the looks of his face.

"Ready to go?" she asked, shrugging on a light jacket as Harry nodded, giving her another sneaky glance. "Good"

* * *

**Hmm..I'm wondering how long I can drag out the UST for, I even had to delete some because I had them kissing *rolls eyes*. Any requests/ideas about how I can keep the UST going and what Harry and Nikki can do? I'll dedicate a chapter to you :D**

**xxx**


	6. Chapter 6

"Niks" a loud voice shouted Nikki's name as she climbed out of the car, a grin on her face as a woman rushed forward and enveloped Nikki in a hug "How are you?"

"I'm fine Kathy, how are you?" Nikki enquired as the other woman stepped back, looking Nikki up and down.

"Girl you look fabulous" Kathy gushed "and I'm fine thank you. It's been too long"

"I know" Nikki agreed with a small nod, turning slightly as Harry climbed out of the car, using his crutches as he slammed the door shut "Kathy, this is Harry. Harry, Kathy"

The brown haired woman shook Harry's hand and grinned at Nikki as she nodded towards Harry.

"You did good on this one didn't you sweetie?"

"Kath" Nikki rolled her eyes, hitting her friend on the arm as they walked, or in Harry's case hopped, towards the restaurant "We're just friends"

"Of course you are" Kathy winked at Nikki, who gave up trying to deny it and let her friend have it her way.

"Is Duncan here?"

"Yeah he's at the table" Kathy nodded as Nikki held the door open for Harry, who thanked her with a nod of his head. Nikki just smiled and nodded towards the rest of the restaurant, asking silently if Harry wanted to continue or not. Harry nodded quickly and gave Nikki a smile as he made his way in front of her. "Did you two just have a conversation without saying anything?"

"Yeah" Nikki shrugged, taking Kathy's arm and making her walk "It happens"

"Girl are you sure you're not an item?"

"Trust me, we're not" Nikki murmured so Harry wouldn't hear "Unfortunately"

"Well look who it is" a man who looked to be about Harry's age grinned as they got near the table. He stood up and enveloped Nikki in his arms, pressing a kiss onto her cheek. Harry frowned at him, wondering who this man was, and how he knew Nikki. He prayed that it wasn't an ex. "The most beautiful pathologist in the whole world"

"Stop it Dunc" Nikki giggled, and Harry couldn't help but dislike this new man for making Nikki giggle. That was his job. "You're married"

"Ah, but Kath doesn't have to know about our sordid little affair now does she?" Duncan winked at Nikki, causing Kathy to roll her eyes and hit her husband on her shoulder.

"Duncan this is Dr Harry Cunningham" Nikki finally introduced them, holding out her hand to Harry, which he took, leaning his arm on the crutch at the same time "Harry this is Dr Duncan Hind, he's a psychologist in Oxford"

"Nice to meet you" Duncan nodded, shaking Harry's hand and smiling at him warmly "I hope you don't mind me flirting with your woman here, it's always been a running joke between us"

"She's not mine" "We're not together" Harry and Nikki responded at the same time, causing Kathy to giggle from where she was sitting at the table, Duncan to shoot her an incredulous look, and Harry and Nikki to look at each other and grin sheepishly.

"Come on, sit down. I'll get drinks in" Duncan changed the subject and both pathologists did as they were told. "What is it that you want?"

"Beer please" Harry replied, all thoughts about how he wanted to hate the man gone from his mind. He seemed like a nice person.

"Nikki?"

"I'm driving" Nikki shook her head "I'll have orange.."

"Oh come on Niks" Kathy interrupted "We're going down the pub after this, get a taxi home or something. Please?"

"Fine" Nikki sighed, and Harry noted that she didn't need much persuading "I'll have a large white wine please Dunc"

The man nodded and then walked off towards the bar.

"So when are you going to make me an auntie?" Kathy suddenly asked Nikki, who turned a light shade of pink and stole a glance at Harry, who was also conveniently looking at Nikki at the same time.

"Kathy" Nikki sighed, shaking her head exasperatedly and leaning on the table "I need to find the right man"

"Well you better hurry up" Kathy rolled her eyes, shooting a quick glance at Harry as she spoke "I can't have children" she told him with a small shrug "So I rely on my friends to make me aunties" she looked pointedly at Nikki who rolled her eyes and shook her head again.

"When's Jen getting here?" she successfully changed the subject, not really wanting to talk about children when she was sitting next to the man who held her affections.

"They're running late, traffic" Kathy explained "They'll be about half an hour. So how did you get into pathology Dr Cunningham?"

"Harry" Harry replied as Duncan walked back over with a tray of drinks, setting them down in front of their respective owners and sitting down. "Well it's pretty grim really" he shrugged and Nikki reached over and placed her hand on his arm as he spoke. "My father was a doctor, a brilliant doctor, and he killed himself when I was nine. And I wanted to be like him" the last part was said quietly, questioningly, and Nikki squeezed his arm gently. Smiling as Harry reached up and gripped her hand in his. Both Duncan and Kathy shared a quick glance, wondering if the people opposite them were lying about being together.

"How do you know each other?" Harry asked, motioning from Nikki to Kathy.

"Kathy was doing her med degree the same time as me" Nikki explained "In Oxford. We just hit it off straight away. We met Duncan in a bar one night and they both hit it off straight away"

"No that's a lie" Kathy shook her head, placing her glass of wine on the table "Duncan and I disliked each other from the moment we met. We were always trying to get one up on each other. All it took was a few too many drinks, and a bed, and that was it"

"You make it sound so romantic" Duncan said dryly as Harry and Nikki chuckled.

"Sorry sweetheart" Kathy grinned, leaning over and pressing her lips to her husband's. Harry glanced at Nikki and saw that she was staring into her wine glass, a small frown on her face. "So how did you do your leg in?"

"Accident at work" Harry replied, looking away from the woman sitting next to him as she looked up "at a crime scene. Now I have to use these" he motioned to the crutches leaning against the table next to him "for the next six or so weeks"

"Bugger" Duncan commented and Harry nodded, sipping his beer.

"You've got that right"

-----

Twenty minutes later and another couple walked into the restaurant, making a beeline for their table. Harry was introduced to them as Jennifer and Andrew King. Jennifer was a midwife and her husband was a lawyer. Nikki seemed to be in her element as she talked to her friends whom she hadn't seen in a long time, and he loved to see her this happy. He couldn't help but wonder if he made her this happy, and he frowned when he thought about it, hoping that he did. Nikki meanwhile was delighted that Harry got on so well with the rest of them, it meant a lot to her.

-----

"So" Jennifer sighed, sitting back in her chair as they all finished their after meal coffees "Pub?"

"Yep" Duncan nodded, and everyone else followed suit.

"Harry?" Nikki enquired, not wanting to make him stay out longer than he wanted to.

"Sounds good" he grinned, the smile he got from Nikki making his stomach do a happy flip. He found himself smiling at her even after she had looked away and nodded at Jennifer to confirm that they were also going to the pub.

-----

"So how long have you known Nikki?" Andrew enquired of Harry as the three men stood at the bar, while the three women sat at the table, giggling loudly at something one of them said.

"Coming up to six years now" Harry nodded as he replied, shooting a quick glance at the woman in question as she laughed.

"and how long have you had feelings for her?" Duncan asked calmly, taking a sip of his beer as he spoke. Harry looked at him in shock, seeing both of the men smiling smugly at him.

"I don't know what you mean" Harry replied quickly, shaking his head and downing the rest of his beer, feeling the need for something stronger.

"Don't lie to us Harry" Duncan smiled, placing his glass on the bar and patting Harry on the shoulder "We see the way you look at her"

"Okay so I'm attracted to her" Harry sighed, shrugging and motioning to Nikki, who was oblivious that she was being talked about "But what man isn't? I mean look at her. She's beautiful, intelligent, witty, strong, stubborn..." he trailed off, suddenly realising what he was doing when the other men chuckled loudly.

"I think it's more than an attraction to her" Andrew told Harry "You've worked together for nearly six years, almost every day yes?" Harry nodded "so your feelings have had time to grow into something more. We've only just met you and it's blindingly obvious that you're in love with her"

* * *

**Obvious!Harry is obvious :D**

**xxx**


	7. Chapter 7

"So Niks, what's it like living with Dr Cunningham?" Kathy asked her friend, leaning on the table and grinning at her "Do tell"

"There's nothing to tell" Nikki responded, stealing a quick glance at Harry who was standing at the bar with Andrew and Duncan, looking slightly horrified all of a sudden.

"I bet there is" Jennifer giggled "Have you seen him naked?"

"Jen" Nikki scolded, shaking her head in exasperation, not even bothered to get embarrassed, she knew what her two friends were like. "No I haven't"

"Bugger" Jennifer sighed "I was hoping for details"

She and Kathy giggled loudly as Nikki sighed, shaking her head and downing the rest of her wine, debating on whether or not something stronger would be a sensible idea. She could already feel the wine going to her head.

"You've not even 'accidentally' walked in on him in the bathroom?"

"No" Nikki sighed "Unfortunately"

"So what's your relationship like with him?" Kathy asked, and Jennifer gave her a small nod as she filled Nikki's glass up again, both of them hoping to get something more from their friend. They wanted to help her as much as they could.

"We're just friends" Nikki replied, almost bitterly "Best friends, who know practically everything about each other, spend most Friday evenings together with a take away and a film, spend every other Saturday evening down a pub together, spend every day at work together" she trailed off and took a large gulp of wine, wondering why she got such a loose tongue when she was tipsy.

"Send good morning texts?" Jennifer asked and Nikki shrugged and nodded at the same time.

"When we have a day off, the other sends a message saying 'have a nice day' or something along those lines"

"So why aren't you two having hot sex? Or even married?" Kathy enquired, clearly frustrated with her friend "It's like you're in a relationship without you even realising or admitting it"

"Kath, it's not like that" Nikki sighed, pushing her wine away from her and shaking her head "Harry doesn't feel the same way about me"

"Are you sure?"

"What?"

"Are you so sure?" Kathy repeated, nodding towards the men at the bar "From what I've seen this evening, that man is in love with you"

"Just stop it" Nikki snapped, slamming her hand on the table and making both her friend's jump "It's not fair okay. You two have your nice lives, with husbands who love you, and there's no point in messing me around like this, messing with my mind like this. It's not fair"

Nikki then jumped up, grabbed her bag and headed for the exit of the pub as quickly as she could. Harry glanced over when he heard Nikki's raised voice, knowing instantly from her body language and the look on her face that she was more upset than angry. He apologised to Andrew and Duncan, then made his way steadily out of the pub after Nikki, looking around for her. Harry saw her sitting on the low wall next to the pub, her small body shaking, indicating to him that she was crying. He hobbled over to her and sat down with a groan.

"Well this isn't a very comfortable place to cry your eyes out" he commented, and Nikki couldn't help but give him a watery giggle "What's wrong?"

"Nothing" Nikki shook her head, attempting to stop the tears as she wiped her face "Can you call a taxi? I want to go home"

"Okay" Harry nodded, reaching into his pocket to pull out his mobile, not pushing Nikki any further. Instead, he reached up and wrapped one arm around her shoulders, gently pulling her closer, smiling as he heard her sigh and rest her head on his chest. He wondered if she could tell that his heart was beating ten times faster than normal, their close proximity affecting his body as it always did. They way her body seemed to fit so perfectly with his made his heart tug painfully in his chest.

"Should we go and apologise?" Jennifer asked Kathy as they discreetly watched Harry and Nikki from the pub window.

"No" her friend replied "Let them be. Maybe this will sort them out"

"God we can hope" Jennifer laughed "Another drink?" she asked as she turned around, Kathy doing the same as she nodded. "Come on then"

-------

"What shift are you on tomorrow?" Harry asked Nikki as they entered the house after the taxi had dropped them off. It was almost half past eleven and he could tell that Nikki was exhausted already.

"Afternoon" Nikki replied, putting one foot on the stairs and turned back to Harry "Thank you for a lovely evening Harry"

He had always imagined her saying that to him after they had been on a date together, and a smile graced his face as he nodded, hesitating slightly as Nikki leant over and pressed her lips to his cheek.

"Night"

"Night" Harry smiled, giving her a small nod and a smile as she walked up the stairs.

------

Nikki sat on the edge of her bed, tears slipping silently down her cheeks as she sobbed to herself. It wasn't fair, she knew life wasn't fair, she had known that fact since she was a child, when her father had come home drunk and yelled at her and her mother. He had told her that life wasn't fair and she should get used to it. But this was beyond anything that she had ever felt in her life. By her age, most of the women she knew had husbands and children, but she had nothing, just a job. And a best friend that she was in love with that didn't love her back, not in the way that she wanted. Nikki took a deep breath and wiped her face, glancing at the time as she did so, glad that she had an afternoon shift the next day. Ten minutes later she crawled into her bed, pulling the duvet further up her body and closing her eyes, taking a small bit of comfort from the fact that Harry was in the room opposite hers.

-------

Harry was surprised the next morning when he woke with no hangover. He looked up in surprise as he spotted the time, nearly nine o'clock. With a yawn, he swung his legs out of the bed and grabbed his crutches and some clothes, making his way towards the bathroom and wondering if Nikki was up yet. Twenty minutes later when he hobbled into the living room he realised that Nikki wasn't in the house, but there was the smell of coffee coming from the kitchen. He hopped in there and saw a note from Nikki on the table, he picked it up and read it quickly. It told him that Nikki had gone to get her car from the restaurant, and that she wouldn't be long. Pouring himself a coffee, he seated himself at the kitchen table with a loud groan, his leg was playing up and it was throbbing with a dull pain that never seemed to go away and he knew he shouldn't have skipped those two doses of painkillers that he didn't bother to take. A few minutes later, he heard a car pull up outside and then a door slam shut, before a few seconds later he heard the front door open.

"Harry?"

"In the kitchen" he replied, absentmindedly stirring his coffee as he thought about how domestic their situation was at that moment. "Morning"

"Morning" Nikki smiled as she walked into the kitchen. Instead of the dresses and skirts that she had been wearing, she was wearing jeans and a t-shirt which also framed her figure nicely, giving Harry a very nice view as Nikki walked past the table and to the coffee machine. "Hangover?"

"Nope" was Harry's reply "Thank God. I didn't drink that much though. You on the other hand looked like you could do with something stronger"

"Just friends teasing, you know" Nikki shrugged, knowing that Harry was referring to her crying. "and the fact that I was a bit tipsy, that didn't help"

"It looked pretty serious to me" Harry told her and Nikki heard the concern in his voice. She sighed and shrugged, making her way to the table and sitting down opposite her best friend, staring into her coffee.

"Just women's problems"

"It's more than that"

"You know me too well Harry" Nikki smiled, stirring her coffee as Harry grinned at her and nodded "They kept going on about how I need to settle down and have a family, otherwise it will be too late for me. But I need to find a man who will want to settle down with a workaholic like me, and give me children"

'Nikki he's sitting opposite you right now' Harry screamed in his head, but he kept silent as Nikki continued.

"What am I on about? I'll be a crap mother anyway" Nikki murmured quietly so Harry had to strain to hear her. He was about to protest to that statement when Nikki continued to talk "Then Kathy and Jen told me something that...it hurt, what they said. Like they were messing with me"

"What was it?" Harry enquired, not believing that the two other women had it in them to hurt Nikki enough to make her like this. There was a long silence as Nikki thought of something to say.

"It doesn't matter" she told him eventually, not really wanting to tell Harry that her friends told her that he was in love with her. Nikki gave Harry a small smile and nodded towards the tablet bottle that was on the side near the kettle. "Have you taken them today? I know you've skipped two doses"

"Dr Nikki Alexander" Harry chuckled as he stood up "She sees and knows all"

However, he truthfully hoped that wasn't the case, not with what he had been thinking, and doing, in the past few days that he had been residing in her house.

* * *

**Poor Nikki :( I feel really mean now. Well on the plus side at least she's not in hospital...yet ;)**

**xxx**


	8. Chapter 8

**Dedicated to Saffy, who begged me to upload this. :D**

**xxx**

* * *

Nikki managed to forget about every that happened the previous evening, by digging herself into a case, something that she was very thankful for. Leo had decided to join her on the case, having nothing better to do, and for the simple fact that he was avoiding any phone calls from the coroner telling him that a board meeting was due. Nikki was distracted however, and all the while that Leo was performing the autopsy on the poor middle-aged man who had lost a fight with a steak knife, she had been leaning against the bench at the side of the room, staring absentmindedly at the body. Half an hour into the autopsy and Leo was concerned for her, Nikki was normally there with the body, helping him, or commenting about various things, but she had been silent since he had started.

"Nikki are you alright?"

"Hmm?" Nikki asked, looking away from the body and staring at her friend.

"Are you alright?" Leo repeated, concerned for the younger woman "You seem distracted"

"I'm fine" Nikki replied, forcing a smile onto her face, which Leo could instantly tell was faked. He had known her long enough to understand her body language, not as well as Harry did though.

"No you're not"

"I'm.." she trailed off, glancing at the lab techs as they walked from the cutting room, carrying various things to be tested. Nikki waited until it was only her and Leo in the room before she continued. "How do you know when someone is in love with you?"

Whatever Leo was expecting Nikki to say, it wasn't that. He withdrew his hands from the chest cavity of the man in front of him and walked over to the sink, pulling his gloves off and throwing them in the bin as he did so. He felt a surge of something in his chest when Nikki asked him, and he wondered if she had ever thought of asking her real father that question. Leo highly doubted that.

"Well it depends on the person" he replied eventually as he washed his hands, wanting to give Nikki his full attention. "Why do you ask?"

"Just something a couple of friends told me last night" was Nikki's reply as she chewed on her bottom lip nervously. She'd never had one of these conversations before, she'd never had the cause to. But hearing it from Leo calmed her somewhat. "How do you know you're in love with someone?"

"Nikki why all these questions?" Leo asked, but Nikki just shrugged. He felt like he was talking to a teenager, and had to wonder if Cassie would have talked to him about things like this, about her life. Leo knew he was getting a second chance, to prove himself by helping Nikki, the woman he thought of as his own daughter. "Again, it depends on the person"

"Thanks Leo" Nikki smiled at him, before pushing away from the bench behind her and motioning to the dead man. "Are you okay here?"

"Of course I am" Leo replied, knowing that Nikki needed to do something to get her questions off her chest. "But I want you in the layout room in an hour"

"Yes Leo" Nikki giggled, patting him on the shoulder as she passed him and walked out of the room to get changed.

----

'I must be desperate' Nikki thought as she sat down in front of her computer at her desk, the one that wasn't facing the whole of the lab. She clicked on a webpage and began to read what was on the screen. "Signs to show that someone loves you" she murmured to herself, glad that no-one else was around "God I'm definitely desperate" she continued to read. "No personal space. There tends to be less private distance between you than with other people. Whoever is interested in you will stand closer to you than other people". Nikki smiled when she thought about her and Harry. They always seemed to stand close, it just happened naturally, even if there was a whole room to stand in, they would find themselves standing very close, almost touching. "Calling you up for trivial reasons".

Nikki had to giggle, she and Harry both did that. When she didn't understand a film, the first person she called was Harry. There was also one time that Harry called her while she was at work on one of his days off, just to ask her what the weather was like before he got out of bed and opened the curtains. He had also called her to make sure of the time of their conference the next day, something that Nikki saw he had written down on his hand a few hours before. Nikki felt herself getting happier when she read this, but then realised that friends also did this. But when did Harry call up Leo just to ask about the weather, or when did she stand so close to Leo that their arms were touching. Never.

"Smiling" Nikki murmured as she read the next one on the list. Well they definitely did that when they were together, she even caught Harry trying to stifle a smile while they were in a meeting. She had asked him what the smile was for, considering there had been nothing to smile about in a two hour long meeting. He had just shaken his head and left her hanging, the smile returning to his face. "Damn it" Nikki hissed to herself, running one hand through her hair "Is he not allowed to smile now?". She wished that Kathy and Jen had never mentioned anything about Harry. She was content to live in her own oblivious world where she was in love with Harry but he wasn't in love with her. She was now left with too many questions that she wanted answers for, but knew that she wouldn't be able to get them. This didn't stop Nikki from keeping on reading the page in front of her. She got to the last one and sighed loudly. "They will always try and keep you in their line of sight, and will look around to see where you are". Harry did that, definitely. They always seemed to have eye contact as well, whenever and wherever they were, this normally made Nikki look away quickly, not wanting Harry to see the desire in her eyes. Despite wanting to turn the computer off and forget that she'd ever looked at that page, she clicked on another one.

"God Nikki you're so depraved" she said to herself as she started to read. _"Love just don't happen overnight, in one day or in one week for that matter. I think what you feel for each other in the beginning is more attraction and curiosity and with time it can change into love, but in order for true love to happen there has to be trust, honesty, sincerity and compassion in the relationship. That is the only way you really get to know that person and to know if that person really loves you.". _

In pure frustration, Nikki groaned and turned the computer off at the wall, leaning forward and pressing the heels of her hands to her eyes until she saw stars. She was suddenly conscious of the fact that she was trying not to cry and had to take a deep breath to stop herself letting out a sob. Nikki knew that there were other factors involved, of course she did, love wasn't really as simple as telling people definite ways to tell if someone loves you, but all of the signs that she had read were there. She just understood that they were lying to her.

* * *

**I'm feeling really mean for making Nikki all depressed and upset, but don't worry, I let up soon.**

**xxx**


	9. Chapter 9

**Also dedicated to Saffy, for her persistance in getting me to upload :D**

**xxx**

* * *

When Nikki got home from work that evening, the first thing she noticed was the delicious smell coming from the general direction of her kitchen. Frowning as she kicked her shoes off and walked through the living room, she threw her handbag on the table and continued on to the kitchen.

"Harry, what...?" Nikki trailed off as Harry turned around from where he was stirring something on the cooker, one crutch leaning beside him, the other he was using. Two saucepans were sitting boiling on the top of the cooker, and the table was already laid for dinner, two wine glasses and a bottle of wine sitting next to the plates and cutlery.

"I thought I'd make you dinner" Harry told her, a smile on his face as he looked at her. This brought back the list that Nikki had found, but she pushed it out of her mind. "Too say thank you for putting up with me"

"It's only been a few days" Nikki commented as she walked further into the room, trying to see what Harry had cooked, though she had a very good idea what it was. "Is it spaghetti?"

"Yep" Harry nodded, turning down the saucepan that held the mince so it didn't boil too much and burn "Your favourite"

Nikki grinned at him and Harry's stomach did a happy flip, noticing how close they were standing, he could have easily leant down and pressed his lips to hers. He almost did, but then thought better of it. He valued their relationship above anything else and he didn't want to make that awkward.

"and you better appreciate it" he told her suddenly, breaking the silence with his usual humour "It took me twice as long to prepare because of these" he moved the crutch he was using slightly "Stupid things"

"Well unless you want to end up on the floor, you have to use them" Nikki commented dryly as she turned around and made her way towards the door.

'I'll gladly end up on the floor with you' Harry thought as he watched her go, his eyes drawn to her bum, which was shown off by the perfectly fitting jeans. A sudden stab of jealousy ran through him as he wondered how many other men had watched her while she had been at work that day. He knew it must have been a fair few.

"How long will it be?" Nikki asked from the doorway, breaking him out of his thoughts.

"About fifteen minutes" Harry replied, hoping that she hadn't seen him staring at her arse.

"Right" the blonde woman nodded, reaching up and pulling her hair out of the messy ponytail it was in. Harry watched, oddly fascinated, as the long blond locks fell down her back. He loved her hair, he wanted to run his hands through it and curl it around his fingers as he kissed her. "Long enough for me to have a quick shower"

'Oh great' Harry thought as she turned and walked out of the kitchen. He now had images of a wet, naked Nikki in his mind, and it wasn't helped at all by the fact that his body had reacted to those images. It had been so long since he had been with a woman, too long for him to want to admit, but all he could think of when he was out at the pub, was that those women weren't Nikki, and he couldn't bring himself to do anything about it. But one thing that did make him slightly happy, was the fact that Nikki had practically admitted a few days beforehand, that she had no sex life. As horrible as Harry knew it made him sound, he was happy about that. It meant that no man had touched her in a while.

'I sound like a bloody caveman' Harry thought to himself as he threw the wooden spoon onto the side next to the cooker, gripping onto his other crutch as he made his way over to the table to sit down.

-----

"Nikki are you alright?" Harry asked later that evening as they both sat on the sofa watching the television. Nikki had insisted on having Supernatural on, something that Harry had rolled his eyes at but had watched anyway, not ready to admit that he was actually enjoying it. "You're very quiet"

Nikki turned from the television and smiled at her friend, moving over the sofa so she was closer to him and allowing him to wrap his arm around her shoulders. That was how they always spent their Friday evenings together when watching a film, most Fridays without fail. Nikki was suddenly aware of how domestic it was, her and Harry cuddled up on the sofa watching a film or TV program.

"I'm fine"

"That's all you say when I ask you that question" Harry told her quietly, worried about the woman in his arms. "Please tell me what's wrong"

Nikki bit her lip and made a split second decision, she moved away from Harry, but not enough so that she was out of his grip, his hand straying to her arm.

"When we went out with Kathy and Jen, when I stormed out of the pub" she started, her heart hammering in her chest as Harry nodded "they said something about...they told me.." she took a deep breath and shook her head, chuckling at the absurdity of it all "they told me that you were in love with me" she missed Harry's short intake of breath when she said this "and I got angry at them because..."

"Am I that obvious?" he asked quietly, stroking her arm gently as he gave her a small smile. Nikki looked up at him, shock written all over her face as she processed what Harry had just said.

"What? I..I don't understand" she whispered, getting angry "Don't you dare play around with me Harry" she snapped, getting up off the sofa and backing away slightly, running one hand through her hair and begging herself not to cry "Don't you dare tell me that just because..."

"Nikki stop it" Harry told her loudly, getting up unsteadily and holding on to one crutch for support "Listen to me" he said it so forcibly that Nikki didn't disobey him "What they said is true. I am in love with you". Nikki took in a sharp breath when she heard these words come from Harry's mouth. She'd longed so hard for him to say those words to her and she couldn't help the small sob that escaped her mouth when she did. "There's always been some attraction for you, ever since you gate crashed the lab and stole my desk". Nikki giggled slightly as Harry said that and he gave her a small smile. "It was just a small crush on you, that seemed to get stronger over the years until I realised that I have fallen in love with you" he looked away from her and Nikki could tell he was holding back tears, something extremely rare for him. "and I understand if you want me out of the house now, and that our friendship is ruined, but I had to tell you, it's been eating away at me for a long time now and..." he was cut off by Nikki's lips on his own, he hadn't noticed her approaching him. It was a short kiss, but when she drew away, Harry knew that there would be more to come.

"We're such idiots aren't we?" Nikki whispered, her eyes glazed over with tears as she gently ran one hand through Harry's hair, smiling as she felt him lean into her touch "I love you...I'm _in_ love with you. I have been for a while"

"How blind have we been?" Harry chuckled, wincing as he sat back down on the sofa, Nikki doing the same and curling her legs underneath her. Harry wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer, entwining their other hands on his lap.

"Extremely blind" Nikki replied quietly as Harry ran the hand that was around her shoulder through her hair. Smiling to himself as he did so. "What do we do now?"

"Well" Harry said slowly, leaning forward and pressing his lips to the top of her head, delighting in the fact that he would probably be able to do that more now. "We could either take it slowly, and we could go out on dates and all that, get used to being in a proper relationship together" he waved his hand around in the general direction of the front of the house "or we could go upstairs and have hot sex, which I imagine is going to be amazing, considering all the pent up frustration that we have"

Nikki giggled loudly and looked up at him, her eyes full of laughter as she leant up and kissed him fully on the lips.

"Maybe we should wait until your cast is off" she suggested with a small shrug as Harry reached up and stroked her face gently "it's only six weeks or so, but in that time we can do the whole date thing"

"That sounds like a good plan" Harry nodded, leaning up to kiss her gently. But Nikki pushed him back against the sofa, allowing him to deepen the kiss, her hands running through his hair and his on her hips. "It feels so brilliant to be able to do that" he whispered as he broke away, pulling Nikki onto his lap fully and allowing her to curl up again, one arm snaking around her back to hold her securely.

"I think you should keep on doing it Harry" Nikki giggled, reaching up and placing one hand on the back of his head, running her hand through his hair.

"Well I always do as you tell me" he murmured as he leant down to kiss her again.

* * *

**Yeah I knew I wouldn't be able to keep it up for long until I got them together. But they still have to survive the next six weeks without doing anything other than kissing and of course keeping it from Leo..should be fun XD.**

**xxx**


	10. Chapter 10

"We should really go to bed" Nikki murmured as she and Harry stood outside her bedroom kissing lazily. Harry had her backed against the wall, one hand on the wall behind her, giving him some support, the other on her waist. Nikki had one hand on his shoulder, the other in his hair, pulling him closer to her as the kisses became more heated. The sound of Nikki moaning as he kissed her, knowing that he was the one making her make those noises, was music to Harry's ears, he'd waited so long to be able to do this.

"Yes we should" Harry replied to Nikki after a long pause, in which their mouths were too busy to actually reply. He didn't let her go however, but trailed his lips down her neck, smirking when he found the spot which caused Nikki to gasp and let out a small moan, her hands gripping his shoulders tightly. He'd definitely have to exploit that at a later stage.

"Harry" Nikki whispered as she pushed him away with some difficulty "Come to bed with me"

Harry raised an eyebrow when he heard this, but Nikki shook her head as she realised what she had said and how it must have sounded.

"To sleep. Please?"

"If you're sure" Harry nodded, wondering how he was going to survive sleeping in the same bed as this beautiful woman.

"Unless you won't be able to stop wandering hands" Nikki giggled, licking her lips and glancing down at his crotch, not at all oblivious to his obvious arousal through his baggy tracksuit bottoms. "I know I'll have trouble"

She then turned and walked into her bedroom, leaving the door open for Harry to decide on whether he wanted to sleep in the same bed as her. It was a no brainer for him, he grabbed his crutches and hobbled into the room, closing the door quietly behind him. He then made his way over to the bed, propping his crutches on the chair next to it, and then sliding into bed behind Nikki, hardly believing that he was in the same bed as her. Nikki turned over slightly and gave him a smile as he leant down to kiss her gently.

"Night beautiful" he whispered as she snuggled down, allowing him to lay behind her and wrap one arm around her waist, the other going to the pillow and laying there, gently playing with her hair. "I love you"

"I love you" came Nikki's tired reply "I can't believe you're here, in my bed"

"Neither can I" Harry chuckled, burying his face in her neck and pressing a kiss onto her warm skin "I can't actually believe that we're in your bed and we're not doing anything apart from talking"

"What would you like to be doing?" Nikki enquired, turning her head so Harry could see her smirk.

"Use your imagination" Harry replied, pressing his lips to hers one last time "Now go to sleep"

"Why?" Nikki asked, suddenly wide awake "It's my day off tomorrow"

"Again?"

"Mmm" Nikki nodded, turning over so she was facing Harry instead, reaching over and rubbing his arm gently "Leo's made me take some of my holiday time, to look after you mostly so I hope you bloody appreciate it"

Harry rolled his eyes and Nikki chuckled.

"I know" she nodded "But now I don't think I mind. I get to spend some extra time with you"

"Well that's an extra bonus"

"Could your ego get any bigger?" Nikki giggled as Harry chuckled but didn't reply. "We'll keep us a secret for now?" it was more of a question than a statement and Harry found himself nodding in agreement.

"Yeah" he replied "Just us two for now"

Nikki then yawned, trying to stifle it with her hand but Harry just laughed at her attempt and pulled the duvet further up her body. She closed her eyes and snuggled closer to Harry, laying her head on his chest and flinging one arm over his stomach. Harry reached up and stroked her hair gently until he heard her breathing even out, signalling that she was asleep, only then did he allow himself to close his eyes and attempt to follow her.

-------

Both pathologists were taken abruptly from their sleep the next morning by the sound of Nikki's alarm blaring out. They both groaned, Nikki cursing silently as she heard the noise, having forgotten to turn the alarm off the night before. She was suddenly aware of an arm draped over her waist and a warm body pressed into her back. A sudden fear washed over her that she had gone out last night and once again brought a random man home, but then realised that she was wearing her pyjamas and relaxed. Nikki cracked her eyes open, and with a groan reached over and slammed her hand on the radio, successfully shutting up the alarm.

"You're violent in the morning"

Nikki then realised who it was in bed with her and everything from the night before came back to her. With a small giggle she turned over slightly so she could look at Harry.

"Morning" she whispered "Sorry about the alarm, I forgot about it"

"That's alright sweetheart" Harry replied sleepily, sitting up slightly and pressing his lips to hers. "Morning. Did you sleep well?"

"Better than I have in a long time"

"Must have been my presence in your bed"

Nikki knew that he was probably true, but didn't tell him that. She just made a noncommittal noise and turned over fully so she was facing Harry.

"I could wake up like this every morning" he told her, resting one hand on her cheek and stroking it gently as Nikki smiled at him. "and I look forward to it"

"Oh you think you're spending every night in my bed do you?" Nikki asked coyly and Harry pretended to think for a few seconds before he nodded.

"Yep"

"Cheeky bugger" Nikki murmured, sitting up slightly but Harry grabbed her around the waist and pulled her down again, making her squeal slightly.

"Did you just squeal?" Harry laughed and Nikki blushed and shook her head vigorously.

"No"

"Yes you did" Harry grinned, poking her in the side and making her curl up slightly and a small laugh escaped her lips. "I love you"

"Mmm" Nikki smiled up at him running one hand over his cheek, her smile growing as she felt a slight layer of stubble under her fingers. "I love you"

Harry leant down and pressed his lips to hers, his heart thumping in his chest as he once again realised that he was kissing Nikki Alexander. He deepened the kiss, groaning slightly as Nikki turned and straddled him, never breaking contact as she gripping his shoulders tightly, his own hands running down her sides and settling on her hips. Nikki broke the kiss and shifted slightly, an involuntary gasp escaping her lips as she felt Harry's arousal pressing against her thigh. She licked her lips and moved back against him, smirking at him as he moaned slightly and arched into her. Nikki knew that if they were going to wait for the next six weeks then she would have to stop what she as doing.

"Harry we can't" she whispered, leaning down and pressing her lips to his. "We said six weeks"

"I know" he nodded, rubbing her hips gently to try and soothe her. "Don't think you have to sleep with me just because we are seeing each other now"

"But the other men would have taken me to bed by now" Nikki murmured, looking embarrassed as she looked away from Harry. Harry however just reached up and lifted her head so she was looking at him.

"I'm not like other men Nikki" he told her "I'm not going to force you to do something that you're not comfortable with"

"It's not like I'm not comfortable with it" Nikki replied, running one hand over his naked chest, delighting in the shiver that ran down his body. "I just want to do it properly"

"and we will" Harry nodded, glancing down at her body and smiling appreciatively at her, running one hand over her arm, stroking it gently. "Now as much as I love you, and I love the feeling of you on my body, but you're going to have to move if you really want to wait"

Nikki just giggled and nodded, leaning down to kiss him again before rolling off him and onto the bed, sitting up as she did so and flicking her hair over her shoulder.

"Are you up for some shopping today?"

Harry just moaned and collapsed back onto the bed, running one hand over his face as Nikki laughed loudly and hit him with her pillow.

* * *

**Hehe, another six weeks of UST..can I do it or not? XD**

**xxx**


	11. Chapter 11

"You couldn't check my e-mails for me could you Harry?" Nikki asked him as she wandered into the living room wrapped only in a towel, her damp hair falling down her back. "Everything's saved on there"

"Are you sure?" Harry enquired as he looked away from Nikki's laptop "I mean.."

"I'm not hiding anything from you" Nikki chuckled, leaning over and pressing a kiss onto the top of his head. "I trust you"

"Well unless I find your secret porn stash on here" Harry grinned, causing Nikki to push him slightly and giggle as she rolled her eyes, straightening up and pulling the towel up slightly where it had fallen down. "You didn't have to do that"

"I know" Nikki replied dryly, ruffling Harry's hair "but for that porn comment you're not going to see anything else"

Harry pouted at her and attempted to pull the towel away from her body, but failed as Nikki jumped away from him, laughter bubbling from her throat as she shook her head and backed out of the door.

-------

"You've got an e-mail from someone called Amy...Jackson" Harry commented as he walked into Nikki's bedroom, stopping instantly when he saw Nikki standing naked in the middle of the room. She flushed brightly, attempting to cover herself up but Harry shook his head, striding over to her and grabbing her wrists gently in his hands. "You're so beautiful"

"Really?" Nikki asked, shaking her head as she said this "I don't think so"

"Nikki you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen"

"Harry you don't have to keep up the pleasantries, we're together aren't we?" Nikki shrugged, confused at the shocked look on Harry's face.

"You are _perfect_" Harry told her forcibly "and I am saying it because it's true, not because I have to. Don't ever think that. Has no-one told you that you're beautiful?"

"Well men have told me, yes" Nikki nodded, taking her hands away from Harry's and reaching over to pick up the red lacy bra that was on her bed. "But I knew they didn't mean it. None of them ever did. I was only good for the sex"

"You're worth much more than that Nikki" Harry sighed, gently running his hand over her hair and giving her a small smile as she did the bra up and reached for her knickers. "Are you trying to kill me Nicola?" he changed the subject and Nikki giggled loudly.

"No" she shook her head, straightening up and placing her hands on his shoulders, grinning as he looked her up and down, an appreciative look on his face. Harry was different from all the other men. They looked at her with lust and want on their faces, only after one thing. But Harry, he had a soft expression on his face, like he was committing every detail of her body to memory, like he actually appreciated her body. "You appear to be staring Dr Cunningham"

"I can't help it" Harry replied, looking back to her face and smiling at her as she flushed "You're so beautiful that I can't help it. And the fact that I am allowed to look at you just makes it even better. As opposed to hoping I walk in on you naked in the changing rooms or the showers"

"Perv" Nikki laughed, hitting him on the shoulder as she extracted herself from his arms, feeling suddenly very exposed without his arms around her.

"Well I still hope I walk in on you naked" Harry shrugged, hobbling his way to the bed and sitting down as he watched Nikki continue to get dressed, still hardly believing that he was doing it. "But at least this time I won't get yelled at or get slapped"

"I wouldn't slap you" Nikki told him as she pulled on a pair of jeans which showed off her curves perfectly. "Unless you want me too of course" she added coyly "Who knows what kinky fetishes you are hiding from me"

"Well you're going to find out" Harry laughed as he reached over and grabbed her wrist, pulling her closer to him and making Nikki squeal in surprise, a loud laugh escaping her lips. She then sat on his lap, facing him and pressed her lips to his.

"I look forward to it" she murmured against his lips, kissing him again and smiling as she deepened it, Harry's hands running down her naked sides and resting on her hips, pulling her closer to him. They kissed lazily for a few more minutes, enjoying the feeling of being in each other's arms after wanting it for so long.

"You're so bloody addictive" Harry whispered as they broke apart for air, Nikki however just grinned and kissed him again, her hands running through his hair, pulling him closer. Harry's hands moved from her hips to the front of her jeans, unbuttoning them and pulling the zip down. He then broke away quickly and moved his hands from her, shaking his head as Nikki frowned.

"What's wrong?"

"I want to prove to you that I don't just want you for sex" he replied, leaning back slightly on his hands so she slipped down his lap a bit more, realising that doing that was a bad idea when she brushed against the front of his jeans. "that I'm not like all the other men"

"I know you're not Harry" Nikki nodded, and his heart jumped in his chest when he saw the complete trust in her eyes as she fiddled absentmindedly with the buttons on his jeans. He bit his lip and tried to stop himself from jerking up into her hand, the feeling of her actions was driving him insane. "When was the last time you took a woman to bed?"

"About seven months ago" Harry told her, being completely honest with her "What about you?"

"I've never taken a woman to bed" Nikki replied with a giggle and Harry just rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"You're impossible"

"I know" she nodded, her grin lighting up her eyes and making Harry's stomach do a flip "So you're sexually deprived"

"You could say that, and you didn't answer my question" Harry nudged her gently and sat up again, wrapping his arms around her waist and pressing his lips to her neck "You can tell me"

Nikki moaned slightly and leant her head back to give him better access, one hand coming up to cup the back of his head and fun her fingers through his hair as he continued his assault on her neck.

"About..eight months..now" she replied with difficulty, all coherent thought wanting to leave her as Harry kissed and nibbled his way down her neck.

"Apparently we're both sexually frustrated then" Harry whispered into her skin and Nikki nodded, moaning a response as Harry reached up and cupped one of her semi-naked breasts.

"We could..relieve that..now" Nikki suggested, her hands making their way to the bottom of his t-shirt and tugging at it gently, but she stopped and frowned, making Harry move away from her slightly to look at her.

"What is it?"

"I don't have any protection and I'm not on the pill" she replied and Harry shook his head.

"Neither do I"

Nikki sighed in frustration, her heart was pumping so fast that she thought it would burst out of her chest. Harry just smiled gently at her and ran one hand over her hair, trailed a strand of it through his fingers as he spoke.

"We'll just have to wait then"

Nikki glared at him, her frustration building to new levels as she saw how calm he was. How could he be so calm about it when she could feel his arousal through his jeans, she wanted him so badly that she ached for him. A sudden thought hit her and she frowned.

"Don't you want me?"

"Of course I do" Harry nodded quickly "I just don't want to be too hasty about anything. Unless you want to get pregnant"

"Not right now no" Nikki responded, her body was still reacting to him, and she knew she had to get away from the man underneath her before she did something stupid. With a small growl, she climbed off his lap and quickly did her jeans up again, turning and stalking over to the other side of the room. Nikki heard Harry get up off the bed and make his way over to her, his close proximity as he wrapped one arm around her waist, the other which was still in the crutch, resting on her hips, wasn't helping with the fact that she was trying to ignore him.

"I think you want me to touch you" Harry whispered into her ear, his voice husky with arousal, the sound almost making Nikki's knees buckle. She'd never heard him use that tone before. He gently kissed her neck, deliberately doing it slowly as he ran his hand down her body, resting it on her thigh. "Do you?"

Nikki bit her lip and nodded, trying not to moan as Harry found the spot on her neck that made her weak.

"Or" Harry sighed, taking his hand away slightly "We could wait the six weeks until my cast is off, and then I can make love to you properly"

"No Harry please" Nikki moaned quickly "Now. I want you to touch me"

Harry however just chuckled, quite evilly in Nikki's opinion, and moved away from her. Limping a bit as he only used one crutch. Nikki turned to him, her chest heaving and her body aching for more, a shocked look on her face that Harry could do that and then leave her hanging.

"I think we should wait" Harry told her, an infuriating smirk on his face. He too was having trouble resisting the urge to slam her into the wall behind her and have his way with her, but it would be awkward with the bulky cast on his leg. "I've heard that being depraved from any sort of..._sexual activity_, makes it a lot better when we come to it"

He then grabbed his second crutch and hobbled out of the door, leaving a very frustrated and confused Nikki standing half naked and fully aroused, in the middle of her bedroom.

* * *

**So far so good :D There's only another six weeks to go. hehe. I'm going to try and make them wait the six weeks, but knowing me it won't last.**

**Now should they tell Leo? Let Leo find out himself? Or just keep it from Leo?**

**xxx**


	12. Chapter 12

"Fine, we'll do it your way" was the first thing Nikki said as she walked into the living room after getting changed "Six weeks, see how long we can survive until then. First one to break tells Leo"

After so many months of what was ultimately celibacy, both Harry and Nikki didn't know if they could go another six weeks. Especially when they had a partner that they could be doing things with. They both knew it was going to be complete Hell, but neither of them wanted to lose the bet, they had their pride to think about after all.

"That's fine with me" Harry shrugged, looking away from the laptop screen and smiling at her "I hope you have a good story for Leo"

"Don't be so sure about that Harry" Nikki smirked, before changing the subject "You said I have an e-mail from some woman"

"Yeah, an Amy Jackson, it said something about a school reunion" Harry nodded, turning to the laptop and brining the webpage up again. Nikki walked over to him and sat down on his leg, pulling the laptop towards her and smiling to herself when she felt Harry wrap his arms around her. She had never felt so safe in her life. Harry then leant forward and pressed kisses onto her back, making Nikki's stomach flip happily. "I love you"

"I love you" Nikki responded, turning around slightly and kissing Harry on the lips before turning back to her e-mail "School reunion" she confirmed with a small groan "Do I want to go?"

"I don't know" Harry shrugged, wincing slightly as his leg began to ache "Do you?"

"I don't really want to go back there. That was the school I ran away from" Nikki sighed, toying with the idea in her mind "I suppose it would be fun to see where everyone else is in life"

"and you can show off that fact that you are a beautiful woman with an amazing job" Harry added, causing Nikki to giggle and blush.

"You'd come with me wouldn't you?"

"Of course. When is it?"

Nikki checked the date, conscious of Harry running his hand up the side of her t-shirt and rubbing circles on the skin of her waist.

"Next week. And how she got my e-mail address I don't know"

"It's your works one isn't it? Maybe she saw your name somewhere and then rang and asked"

"Hmm" Nikki nodded, quickly replying to the e-mail, telling the other woman that she would be attending with a plus one, before shutting the laptop and turning on Harry's lap, slinging one arm over his shoulders. "What are we doing today?"

"You couldn't take me home could you?" Harry enquired as Nikki played with his hair "I need to get my post, see what money I need to part with when I pay my bills"

"Sure" Nikki nodded, leaning down to kiss him again "and then we can go and see you mum and explain what happened to you"

"No Nikki" Harry whined, leaning back in the chair and shaking his head "She doesn't have to know"

"Harry, if she suddenly goes round to see you and you're not there, or she sees you out, she's going to wonder what's going on. She'll worry more if you don't tell her"

"Fine" Harry murmured, nodding, knowing that Nikki had a good point "But you'll come in with me. I want to introduce you"

"Really? Already?"

"Yep" Harry replied, smiling up at Nikki and rubbing her hip gently "I don't think I've ever introduced her to one of my partners before. Actually I'm pretty sure I haven't. She probably still thinks I'm a virgin if I'm quite honest with you"

Nikki giggled loudly and nodded, a thoughtful look on her face.

"Dad was pretty shocked when he found out that I wasn't a virgin"

"How old were you when he found out"

"Twenty" Nikki laughed and Harry chuckled. Nikki's laughter faded and she frowned, fiddling with her jeans slightly as she spoke "I suppose I was always his little girl and it was a shock to him, even if he did go off the rails...I don't know" she shrugged and sighed slightly "I didn't tell him I'd lost my virginity at fifteen"

"If we ever have a daughter" Harry told her suddenly, making Nikki look up at him in shock for the boldness of his statement "I am locking her up until she is thirty"

Nikki didn't know how to reply to that, it sounded to her like Harry was planning on having children with her at some point. This thought made a sudden shot of fear run through her at the thought of being a mother, but at the same time a warm feeling rose from her stomach, leaving her thoroughly confused.

"How old were you when you lost your virginity?" she asked Harry, changing the subject slightly before one of them said something that they would regret.

"Sixteen" was his reply "I was at a party, both of us were pretty drunk, and I remembered none of it" he frowned and shook his head "I can't even remember her name"

Nikki couldn't help but giggle and shake her head, opening her mouth to tell him the name of her first boyfriend. Harry however cut her off by tugging her closer to him slightly.

"and I don't think you should mention any of your boyfriends, thank you very much" he told her and Nikki grinned at him "I get jealous" he told her, his voice getting quieter as Nikki realised he was one hundred percent serious. "I know it's probably wrong of me, considering how many women I've had and the fact that it's your life, but the thought of another man touching you, even if it was a long time ago just..." he trailed off and sighed.

"Caveman" Nikki muttered good-naturedly as she leant down and pressed her lips to his. They kissed lazily for a few more minutes before Nikki drew away again, flicking her hair over her shoulder "I don't mind you getting jealous, it's pretty attractive really, and don't worry I won't bring up past boyfriends, I promise"

"Good" Harry nodded, kissing her again and pulling her closer to him "Because I might have to make you forget about them"

"Sounds terrible" Nikki replied sarcastically, playing gently with his hair "What would it involve?"

"Mmm" Harry pretended to think about it as he kissed his way down her neck "A lot of kissing" he told her, pressing a quick kiss to the sensitive part of her neck, making her hiss and lean her head back "a bed, or a wall, or a floor, whatever we get to first". Nikki giggled when she heard this, but it turned into a gasp as Harry pressed his fingers to her centre through her jeans "and a lot of touching". He applied some more pressure and Nikki whimpered as arousal shot through her. It had been so long since anyone had touched her like that, that Nikki almost ignored the bet and Harry's broken leg and begged him to have his way with her. "But of course we can't do that yet" Harry sighed dramatically, taking his hand away from her and making her whimper slightly at the loss of contact. "because you don't want to lose the bet do you?".

Nikki could have throttled him for that statement, but she chose to just smile sweetly at him, climb off his lap and tell him that she will do it herself. Before she walked from the room leaving a flustered and aroused Harry behind her.

* * *

**School reunion, that should be fun. hehe.**

**xxx**


	13. Chapter 13

**Contains smut! I'm sorry, it had to happen! You all know it,I couldn't keep up the UST for that long. I've gone 12 chapters, I think that's a record for me. ;)**

**xxx**

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"I should have stayed at yours" Harry muttered as he flicked through his bills, throwing them on the table in his living room as he hobbled past "Ignorance is bliss"

"They have to be done" Nikki reminded him as she walked through from kitchen, carrying two steaming mugs of coffee, placing them on the table next to the sofa and sitting down next to Harry, her feet curled under her as she turned to face him. "Nice being back?"

"Not really" Harry shook his head, glancing around his large living room with a look of what could only be described as boredom on his face "I've only just realised how empty it is, and anyway, I prefer your house"

"Because I wait on you hand and foot" Nikki giggled, reaching over to slap him on the arm and squealing as Harry laughed and grabbed her hand, successfully pulling her onto his lap so she was straddling him. Both of them knew that it was probably a bad idea, but neither of them cared as Nikki kissed Harry, pressing her body up against his and allowing him to wrap his arms around her back. He then reached up and undid Nikki's hair from the band that it was in, running his hand through the long stands and pulling her head closer to him, both of them battling for domination of the kiss. Nikki could feel his growing arousal through his jeans, and she reached down to cup him through his clothes, the moan that she got from him urging her on. She pressed down on him harder this time, neither of them caring about the bet they had made barely three hours beforehand or their promise to wait for six weeks. They had only said six weeks to let Harry's leg have time to heal, but in this position it was no problem. Deciding that six years of pent up frustration was enough, Harry moved his hands to the front of Nikki's jeans, testing to see how far she would let him go. He undid the button and the unzipped the zip, stopping to see what Nikki would do. She just cupped him again through his jeans and gave him a look that told him to hurry up and do something. Harry grinned and pushed her jeans down her legs as far as he could, neither of them wanting to move from their position. He then pressed one finger to Nikki through her knickers, delighting in the moan that she gave him and the way she couldn't stop herself from arching into him slightly.

"Harry" she moaned, the noise making Harry harden even more. How long he had dreamt of hearing her say his name like that as he touched her and made love to her. "More" she murmured, pressing down onto his hand and urging him on, telling him what she wanted. Harry slipped his hand inside her knickers, hardly believing what he was doing after wanting it for so long. Nikki gasped as he pressed his hand to her, arching into him again and begging him for more. Harry did as he was told, pressing one finger slowly into her, the moans and whimpers that were coming from Nikki's mouth almost sent him over the edge already, but he collected himself and added another finger. "Harry..more.." Nikki groaned, pressing herself down onto his hand "Harder". Harry couldn't help but be pleasantly surprised when he heard this, speeding up his pace as he complied with Nikki's wishes. Nikki's grip on his shoulder's tightened as he felt her nearing her climax, her moans becoming pants as he quickened his pace until he felt her body shudder and heard his name tumble from her lips in a shout. She all but collapsed onto him as the orgasm faded away, resting her head on his shoulder, both of them chuckling quietly.

"You're loud" he commented and Nikki flushed more than she was already. He took his hand away from her, smirking slightly as she moaned at the loss of contact, watching her closely as he brought his hand to his mouth and licked each finger slowly. Nikki didn't think she had been so aroused in her life, she was already aching for more as she watched Harry carefully, her hands moving to his jeans, ready to return the favour. Harry watched closely as Nikki undid his jeans, moving slightly so she could get them a bit further down his legs to get better access to her goal. She then looked up at him, a smile gracing her face as she brushed her hand over the bulge in his boxers, making Harry moan slightly. Nikki hooked her fingers over the waistband of the boxers, drawing them ever so slowly down his legs to join his jeans, her eyes widening slightly as she looked at his erection. A slightly blush trailing over her cheeks. She then reached forward and gripping him in her hand, feeling him harden even more as she stroked him, Harry's eyes fluttering shut and his head leaning back against the sofa, a moan escaping his lips. Nikki applied more pressure, hardly believing that she was finally doing this to Harry.

"Nikki" he moaned, arching up into her hand as she continued to touch him. A gasp escaped him when he felt her hand moving away, only to be replaced by her mouth. He opened his eyes slightly and looked down at Nikki, the sight of her with his cock in her mouth making him almost come there and then, but he refused to. Nikki smiled as she watched his reaction, running her tongue over the sensitive tip, the noises that she was extracting from Harry making her more confident. She never normally like doing this to a man, and tried to avoid it as much as possible, but with Harry it was different. "Nikki..not..going..last" she heard Harry murmur as she ran her tongue up the length of his erection, making him moan out the last word. "Please". Nikki did as she was told, knowing there would be more time for her to experiment. She looked up at Harry and smirked at him, before sliding back up his body and kissing him.

"I wanted you to come in my mouth" she whispered, delighting in the moan that she extracted from Harry. "But that will have to wait until later if you want". She felt Harry's hands moving down her waist and gripping her knickers, pushing them down her legs as far as he could. A sudden thought struck her and she frowned. "Harry we don't have any protection".

Harry just smirked at her and reached over to grab his jacket from the arm of the sofa. Nikki watched in confusion as he reached inside the inner pocket and pulled out a packet, which Nikki recognised instantly.

"How long have you had that?" she asked, taking the condom from him and slapping him on the chest.

"Since you dragged me shopping again" Harry replied, rubbing her hips gently and moving his hands down her thighs "While you were in your third shoe shop of the day I went and brought two boxes"

Nikki couldn't be bothered to reply as he pressed his hand to her again, making her arch into him.

"You're so ready for me Nikki" he murmured, teasing her mercilessly as she undid the wrapper and rolled the condom onto him. Harry then moved his hand away and gripped Nikki's hips as she positioned herself over him, she then leant down and kissed him quickly, moving away as she lowered herself onto him, both of them moaning at the new sensation. Nikki then winced slightly and Harry frowned when he saw. "Nikki?"

"Not used to it" she murmured, flushing slightly as Harry grinned at her, knowing that he was her first for almost nine months. "and you're so.." she trailed off as she began to move on him, her hips thrusting up to meet hers as they found the correct pace for them. "God Harry you're bloody huge" she breathed out as he thrust down on him again, getting used to him filling her. Harry let out a small breathy chuckle, grinning proudly at her as she pushed away from him slightly, her hands on his chest for leverage as she quickened the pace. Soon the only sounds in the room were their gasps, moans and pants and Harry wrapped his arms around her back pulling her closer to him so Nikki could bury her face in his neck, their bodies seeming to merge into one as he gripped her to him. He kept murmuring into her ear, telling her how beautiful she was and how much he loved her and he soon felt her nearing her peak as he continued to speak to her. A few hard thrusts later and Nikki shuddered, convulsing around him and yelling his name into his neck. Just hearing and seeing his lover having such a shattering orgasm pushed him over the edge, and he thrust up into her once more, his own strong orgasm washing over him, Nikki's name falling from his lips as his body shuddered. Nikki still had her head buried in his neck, trying to get her breathing under control, and when he looked down at her he was shocked to see tears running down her face.

"Nikki what's wrong?" he asked breathlessly "Did I hurt you?"

"No" Nikki replied as she looked up at him, reaching up to wipe her face "It was perfect, it's never felt like that before"

Harry chuckled and reached up to stroke her hair gently, both of them still exhausted and sweaty from their activities.

"That's good right?"

"It was very good" Nikki giggled, leaning her chin on his chest as she spoke. "So much for six weeks"

Harry just laughed and leant his head back on the sofa, still looking at his lover who was still straddling him, neither of them wanting to move.

"How I am going to look your mum in the eye knowing that I've just shagged her little boy I don't know" Nikki told him suddenly, making Harry grin at her and lean down to kiss her "But I do know that I would like a shower before we go, I don't want to meet your mother smelling of sex"

"I'm sure that can be arranged" Harry replied, sitting up slightly, the look in his eyes making Nikki shiver in anticipation. Nikki however moved away from him, both moaning slightly at the loss of contact between their bodies.

"You have a broken leg" she told him, standing up and pulling her underwear and jeans up, much to Harry's disappointment "We can continue this later in bed"

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**Back to school tomorrow :( how depressing.**

**xxx**


	14. Chapter 14

"Harry dear come in" Anne greeted her son with a wide grin as she opened the door to him, she then frowned when she saw the state of his leg. "What happened?"

"In a minute mum" Harry rolled his eyes at Nikki, who just giggled, a slight shot of envy running through her that Harry had at least one parent who looked after him. She didn't have any. She pushed this feeling down however when Harry placed one hand on her back and gently guided her into the house after his mother. Whispering in her ear for her to calm down. She smiled when she thought about how well her lover knew her and could read her emotions and turned back to him as he shut the front door behind them. "Don't be nervous" Harry chuckled, pressing his lips to hers "She's going to love you"

"I hope so" Nikki murmured as she followed Harry into the living room where his mother was.

"Mum, this is Nikki" Harry introduced his mother to the woman next to him, delighting in the fact that he saw his mother's eyes light up as she crossed the room to greet Nikki.

"It's very nice to finally meet you" Anne told her as she shook Nikki's hand "and you can call me Anne. Harry's told me all about you"

"_Really_" Nikki replied, turning and raising an eyebrow at her lover who reached up and rubbed the side of his nose, being careful of his crutch as he did so.

"I'm quite surprised that you haven't been introduced to me before, you are all he ever seems to talk about when he comes and sees me" Anne continued and Nikki saw Harry's face turn even redder as his mother continued to talk. "So I take it that you are finally together then"

"Yes mum" Harry ground out as Nikki tried to stifle a loud giggle as she saw his embarrassment.

"Now come and sit down" Anne directed them towards the sofas and Harry quickly sat himself down, wincing as his leg ached slightly. He then reached over as Nikki walked past and grabbed her hand, successfully pulling her onto his lap and drawing a slight squeal from her. Anne just smiled at the pair, glad that her little boy had found the right woman for him, and she could definitely see how much her son was in love with the woman on his lap, and vice-versa. "Would you like a drink?" she then asked them, wanting to quickly make them so she could get to the bottom of why her son was on crutches and a cast on his leg.

"Coffee?" she heard Harry ask Nikki and the blonde woman nodded "Two coffee's please mum"

"I'll help if you want" Nikki told her but Anne chuckled and shook her head as she walked to the door.

"I can do three coffee's, don't worry"

"See, she likes you already" Harry told Nikki, running his hand over her hair and taking one ringlet in his fingers, running it through his hand gently. "I told you she would"

"You talk about me?" Nikki asked quietly, fiddling nervously with the hem of her t-shirt as she spoke "Even before we were together"

"I didn't realise how much I did it" Harry flushed, moving her slightly on his lap so she was closer to him, wrapping one arm around her back to hold her securely. "Apparently I talk about you a lot" he paused and leant forward to give her a reassuring kiss on the lips, silently telling her that everything would be alright. "And another thing, mum can be a bit...forward, sometimes"

"Forward" Nikki repeated, wondering exactly how forward the older woman was, having a small feeling that she was going to find out. Before she could say anything else however, Anne walked back into the room carrying a tray. Harry took two mugs off the tray and put them on the table next to where they were sitting, letting them cool down slightly. Anne then seated herself on the armchair that was opposite them and Nikki went to get off Harry's lap. Her lover however just chuckled and held her firmly.

"Sorry sweetheart, there's no room on the sofa, you'll have to stay on my lap"

Nikki shot an incredulous look at the three seat sofa and raised an eyebrow at Harry, neither of them missing the small chuckle that his mother gave them.

"So what happened to your leg Harry?"

"Accident at work" he told his mother "at a scene. It's just a simple break, they're taking the cast off in about five or six weeks"

"and where are you staying until then?" Anne asked, and Nikki had the feeling that the older woman already knew.

"With Nikki" Harry replied, rubbing his lover's arm gently as he spoke "She offered and I accepted"

"Actually I _told_ you" Nikki amended "You were going to try and cope on your own"

"Harry" his mother chided and he shot a playful glare at Nikki, who looked back innocently and snuggled closer to him. "and how long have you two been together?"

"Three days" Harry chuckled, bringing Nikki's hand up to his mouth to kiss it gently, loving the blush that crossed her cheeks at the small action. Anne smiled sadly at her son as he was too wrapped up with the woman on his lap to notice. She was glad that he had found someone to spend his life with, and she had a feeling that it would definitely be for life, and she knew that he would be a better husband than her own was. She also knew that Nikki would be a better wife than she was. "Mum" she was brought out of her thoughts by Harry's voice and she gave him a smile before turning to Nikki.

"You are the first woman he has ever brought to see me" she told the blonde pathologist "I think that says something don't you?"

Nikki just nodded and turned to Harry, leaning down and kissing him gently as he grinned up at her.

"and I expect lots of grandbabies in the future" his mother added and Nikki flushed a deep red when she heard this, Harry however just looked mortified as he looked over at his mother who was smirking at them both.

"Mum" he choked out, however his heart jumped when he thought about having babies with Nikki. He just didn't want to bring the subject up a few days into their relationship and scare her away. "Not right now, please"

"Sorry" his mother apologised, but Nikki could see that she wasn't sorry at all. This made her happy, knowing that Harry's mother had just given her approval, in her own way. It wasn't any less embarrassing though.

"Sorry" Harry then murmured to Nikki, rubbing her back gently as she giggled.

"It's alright"

-------

A few hours later and both Cunningham's had left Nikki in the living room, Anne having given her a photo album from when Harry was a young boy, without Harry knowing. Harry and Anne were currently in the kitchen having a very heated argument while the older woman cooked dinner.

"Did you honestly have to bring up children mum?" Harry hissed, his grip on his crutches tightening "We've only been dating _three days_. You could have ruined everything"

"No I wouldn't" his mother responded calmly, turning the potatoes down so they didn't boil over. "You mean you don't want children with her?"

"No mum" Harry groaned, running one hand through his hair in exasperation "I do and I want her as my wife more than anything. I want us to have a dozen children running around the house calling us mummy and daddy, but I'm so scared"

"Of what sweetheart?" Anne asked her son softly, rubbing his arm gently, like she used to do as a child. Harry didn't respond, just shook his head and turned around, ready to walk out of the kitchen "You're scared of turning into your father aren't you?"

Harry just nodded, he was absolutely terrified.

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** Poor embarassed Harry...actually what am I on about? I love making Harry embarassed XD. **

**Good luck to Safffy for your theatre exam tomorrow..it is tomorrow yes? **

**xxx**


	15. Chapter 15

**A bit more smut**

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Nikki smiled as she looked through the photo album perched on her legs. Most of them were of little Harry. Little Harry running around the garden in summer, little Harry in the garden in winter, dressed in wellies and a thick coat, his familiar grin plastered on his face as he stood with an older man who Nikki presumed was his father. She turned the page and giggled when she saw a picture of Harry on his first day of school, his father holding him proudly, the next one of his mother holding him proudly, Harry grinning as he hugged them both. Nikki then started to wonder if she would ever have albums like this of her children. She had never been particularly broody at all, when all her friends had been cooing over children, Nikki had wondered what all the fuss was about and had taken it to believe that she wasn't very maternal. That, and the fact that she hadn't really had a relationship where children were discussed, actually now she thought about it, she had never discussed having children with anyone. However, in the past few months, something had begun stirring in her every time she saw a young child or a baby. Something that she had come to realise was longing. She had tried to ignore the jealous feeling every time she was out and saw a mother with a baby or a child, while she was childless. She had come to realise that some women get broodier later than others, and she had just hit that stage. However there was also something else niggling in the back of her mind, something stopping her from accepting the fact that she wanted children.

"Nikki are you alright?" Harry asked as he broke her from her thoughts, and she wondered how long he had been standing there.

"Yeah I'm fine" she lied, turning back to the album in front of her and smiling "You were a cute child"

"What?" Harry asked incredulously as he hobbled over to her quickly, groaning when he saw what she was looking at "I'm going to kill mum"

"Why?" Nikki giggled "I've never seen pictures of you as a child. You are so much like your dad"

"Really?" Harry enquired as he sat down, his mind straying to the conversation he had just had with his mother in the kitchen, where she had almost yelled at him as she told him that he would be nothing like his father.

"In looks only" Nikki added quickly, realising what she had just said. She turned to Harry and frowned when she saw the upset look on his face "I'm so sorry" she murmured as she leant over to press her lips to his, one hand placed on his cheek as she rubbed it gently with her thumb. "I only meant in looks, I promise"

Harry just nodded mutely and gave her a smile to show that it was okay. He then wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer, so she had her head resting on his arm as they both looked through the photos together.

----

Anne couldn't help the loving smile that spread over her face as she walked into the room fifteen minutes later to tell the two pathologists that dinner was ready. They were still in their original position, Harry with his arm protectively around Nikki's shoulders, the blonde woman with her head on his chest and one arm slung over Harry's stomach, the photo album still open on Harry's lap. However, they were both asleep, small smiles on their faces as they did so. Anne loathed to wake them up, and let them be for another few minutes while she finished dishing up the dinner. However, she didn't have to wake them, because a few minutes later Harry groaned, opening his eyes and blinking, trying to work out where he was. Then the familiar surroundings reminded him and he looked down at his chest, smiling and leaning down to kiss the stirring Nikki on the head. She moaned quietly and reached up to rub her eyes with her fists, which Harry found quite cute. He couldn't help but chuckle and Nikki looked up at him, running one hand through her hair.

"What?" she asked tiredly and Harry grinned at her as he shook his head.

"Don't worry"

"Ah you two are awake now" Anne said as she walked back into the room, her eyes filled with amusement "Don't worry, you were only gone for about fifteen minutes. You two should try and sleep more" she smirked at them and Nikki flushed, knowing what the older woman was implying.

"Mum" Harry sighed, shaking his head and running one hand through his hair "Must you?"

"Yes" she replied, smiling at the pair as Harry rolled his eyes and Nikki giggled.

Anne then walked out of the living room, calling back that dinner was on the table when they could be bothered to move away from each other.

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"You definitely have mum's approval" Harry told Nikki that night as he lay on the bed watching his lover put her pyjamas on. His eyes wandering over her half naked body as she reached up and unclipped her bra, smirking at him when she saw his growing arousal through his baggy tracksuit bottoms. She threw the bra on the chair next to the bed and picked up her old t-shirt, pulling it over her head and then flicking her hair over her shoulder. Harry moaned slightly at the sight before him, his rapidly hardening erection straining against his pyjamas. Nikki couldn't wait for Harry to have his cast removed, even though it was five or so weeks away, it was too bulky to be able to do much properly. She made her way over to the bed and drew the covers back, avoiding looking at Harry at all as she climbed into the bed and went to snuggle down.

"Nicola what are you doing?"

"Going to sleep" Nikki replied quickly, knowing, even without looking at him, that Harry was giving her an incredulous look "I've had a _long, hard_ day" she smirked, putting emphasis on the 'long' and 'hard'. Harry groaned in frustration, the cast was impeding his sex life with his new lover, but he knew that most of it was just Nikki's teasing. "Something up Harry?" Nikki then asked, turning her head slightly so she could see him.

"Yes actually" Harry told her and Nikki made the mistake of looking down at his crotch. In a split second she had turned over and was straddling Harry on top of the duvet, her mouth on his and her hands in his hair. Harry's hands were on her hips, pulling her closer to him and arching up into her, pressing his arousal against her. Nikki moaned and reached down to cup him on one hand, making Harry whimper quietly. She revelled in the fact that it was her making him make those noises, after so many years of fantasising about it, it was actually happening. "Nikki". Her name fell from his mouth in a strangled moan as she moved her hand away from him and moved down his body slightly, pulling his pyjama bottoms down as she did so and wrapping her hand around his erection, stroking it gently and making it harden even more. "Nikki..want to..touch..you". Harry gasped as she ran her fingers over the tip, leaning down and pressing small kisses from the top to the bottom, Harry's gasps and moans driving her on.

"Later" Nikki replied to his statement "When I'm finished with you"

She then never broke eye contact with him as she ran her tongue up the underside of his erection, wanting to see his reaction. Harry gripped the sheets next to him on the bed and let out a strangled moan, his eyes locked on to Nikki's, neither of them willing to look away. He couldn't help but buck into her slightly, whimpering as her fingers followed her tongue up his now fully hardened member.

"Oh God Nikki" Harry breathed out as she continued her assault on him, his breaths coming in short gasps as his eyes flickered closed.

"Look at me Harry" Nikki told him forcibly, moving her mouth and hand away from him. Harry did as he was told, wanting and needing to feel her touching him again. "Good" she smirked "Because I need to know that I'm being appreciated, I don't like doing this for just anyone"

Harry opened his mouth to ask what she was on about but the only thing that escaped his mouth was a loud moan as Nikki cupped his balls and licked the tip of his erection. He almost came there and then, but was able to stop himself as his lover continued her actions, his mind going blank as he whispered her name. He could feel himself nearing his release and knew Nikki could too as she quickened the pace of both her hand and her tongue. God that tongue was driving him insane, it had never been this good before, and he didn't want to know where she had learnt how to do it.

"Nik..Nikki" he panted as he arched his hips up "I'm...need too.."

"I want to taste you Harry" Nikki whispered, that sexy smirk plastered across her face as she looked him in the eye, before taking the tip of him into her mouth. That sight alone made Harry lose his iron tight control on himself, and he arched up into her, her name falling from his lips in a loud shout as he emptied himself into her mouth. Harry then collapsed back onto the bed, still watching Nikki as she continued to keep him in her mouth. He was then completely shocked when he realised what she was doing, none of the other women had swallowed. The sight of Nikki doing so, and as she pulled away licking her lips and smiling at him, made the heat pool in his stomach again. "So" Nikki drawled as she crawled up his body, smirk still firmly in place as she looked down at him. "How was it?". Harry thought he detected some hesitancy under her confident tone, and brought his hands to her hips, smiling at her as she leant down and pressed her lips to his.

"Bloody amazing" he whispered as he drew her closer to him, his mind only just coming back to him and his chest still heaving. Nikki just grinned proudly at him.

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**Most of my teachers are stuck in various foreign countries, what a shame...I don't think. XD.**

**xxx**


	16. Chapter 16

"What did you mean earlier?" Harry asked later on as they lay in bed, neither of them tired anymore "about not liking doing that to anyone"

Nikki just shrugged and continued to trace random patterns on his chest, Harry's hand rubbing her back continuously as they lay in each other's arms.

"I just..didn't really like doing anything like that before, to anyone else" Nikki replied, glancing up at Harry and giving him a small smile.

"You didn't have to" Harry told her quickly, hoping that she didn't think that she had to do it to him. "I mean you don't.."

"Ssh" Nikki giggled, pressing her fingers to his lips to shut him up "It's okay Harry, I enjoyed it. I might even do it again if you're lucky"

Harry raised an eyebrow and smirked at her, pulling her slightly closer to him as she spoke.

"I might have to return the favour" Harry replied and Nikki flushed slightly when she realised what he was implying.

"I don't..I haven't let anyone..you know" her flush deepened as she looked away from her lover, missing his delighted look when he heard this "That was too personal for me to let anyone.." she trailed off as Harry lifted her chin and made her look at him. "You don't believe me" she stated with a frown on her face.

"I do" he nodded, leaning up and pressing his lips to hers "I trust you. But if you don't want me to do it then that's fine"

"I trust you Harry" Nikki whispered, yawning suddenly and then laying her head on his chest, draping her arm over his stomach and closing her eyes. "I love you"

"I love you" Harry replied, leaning down and pressing his lips to the top of her head "Sleep well beautiful"

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"Where are you going?" Harry murmured the next day as he woke up, opening his eyes to see Nikki already dressed, sitting on the edge of the bed and pulling on those knee length black leather boots that caused him to have kinky thoughts when she wore them.

"Well I, unlike someone that I won't mention" she looked pointedly at him and he grinned "have to work"

"Only a few more days until I'm back though" Harry replied, sitting up slightly and giving her an appreciative glance. "then I can continue to annoy you"

"I look forward to it" Nikki giggled, leaning over and pressing her lips to hers, laughing in surprise as Harry dragged her on top of him, one arm wrapping around her back and holding her close so she couldn't get away. Harry's other hand wandered down her chest, slipping down the front of her t-shirt and cupping her breast, making Nikki moan into his mouth. "Wait, we can't" she whispered as she pulled away from her lover, both of them breathing heavily, their hair dishevelled "I have to get to work. Leo will be suspicious if I'm late".

Harry didn't reply, his hand moving from her back and down to her skirt, running up the front of it, a smirk on his face as he noticed that Nikki didn't attempt to push him away.

"Harry I really have to go" she whispered, arching into him as he pressed his hand against her centre. "We can continue this later"

Nikki then had to force herself to move away from Harry, climbing off him and straightening her skirt and hair, before leaning down and pressing her lips to his. Her hand 'accidentally' brushing over the slight bulge in his pyjama bottoms, feeling him harden a bit more under her touch.

"Payback is a bitch" she whispered as she drew away, giggling at Harry's shocked look "Have a nice day"

------

"How's Harry?" Leo asked as he and Nikki performed an autopsy on a young woman in her early twenties who had jumped in front of a bus. Judging by the amount of bruising that didn't come from the impact, it looked like she had been beaten over a long period of time.

"Bored" Nikki replied, emptying the contents of the woman's stomach into a container and glancing at it. "He can't wait to come back to work"

"He does realise that he'll be on desk duty" Leo stated, shooting a quick look at his friend, before turning back to the body.

"Of course he does" Nikki responded, walking back over to the body and glancing at it "I don't think it's dawned on him how bored he's going to be here as well"

"and we're going to have to put up with him" Leo chuckled, making Nikki giggle and nod, images coming to mind of things that she and her lover could do to stop that boredom. Then she stopped herself, at work they would have to have a professional relationship, no touching, no kissing, nothing. However, she didn't honestly believe that Harry wouldn't be able to go a whole working day without kissing or just touching her. She had to look down so that Leo didn't see the smile that crossed her face when she thought about her lover. He had become even more touchy ever since they had got together, not just in the sexual way either, he always wanted to have some skin to skin contact with her, like he was scared that she wouldn't be there if he didn't. Not that Nikki minded, it made her feel wanted, loved and protected, like nothing could get to her when Harry was there. A sudden thought hit her then, she hadn't contacted Kathy or Jennifer since their argument. She needed to apologise to them and explain everything. Making a mental note to do it when she got home, she went about continuing with the autopsy.

-----

"Hey Jen it's Nikki"

"_Nikki, how are you?" _her friend replied but didn't wait for an answer as she continued to speak _"Look I'm sorry, I just..."_

"Jen be quiet" Nikki giggled, curling her legs under her on the sofa and sipping her glass of wine. "I know it's late notice but you couldn't come over to mine could you? Kathy's already on her way over"

"_Of course I can" _Jennifer replied quickly _"There's nothing wrong is there"_

"No" Nikki responded "I just want to explain about last time"

"_Is Dr Cunningham not there?" _

"No he's at a friend's house" Nikki told her friend "I chucked him out of the house and told him to go and get some male company"

"_You're very nice" _Jennifer giggled and Nikki grinned _"I'll be half an hour"_

Forty minutes later all three women were sitting in Nikki's living room. Nikki curled up in her original position on the sofa, Jen sitting at the opposite end and Kathy curled up on the armchair next to the sofa. Nikki had apologised profusely for her actions the last time they had seen each other, but Jen and Kathy had just waved it off and told her that it was okay.

"So are things still innocent between you and Harry?" Kathy enquired with a small giggle, the blush that crossed Nikki's cheeks told them everything they needed to know. The other two women laughed loudly and Jennifer reached over to pat Nikki on the leg. "Well it's about time"

"So have you had _sexual relations_ with said doctor?" Jennifer asked, putting on her best posh accent she could and earning a kick from Nikki.

"Maybe" Nikki grinned and her friends exchanged grins.

"That's a yes" Kathy nodded and Nikki confirmed this "Well tell all then. It can't be easy with that cast"

"Why should I tell you?" Nikki smirked, placing her empty wine glass on the table and giggling when her friends protested.

"Nikki" Jennifer whined "Come on, we need all the juicy gossip. Every last detail"

Nikki was too excited about finally having told someone about her and Harry, and she finally caved in and giggled loudly.

"Fine. We were going to wait until he had his cast off in six weeks" Nikki explained, drawing two 'borings' from her friends "I said _were _going to wait" she repeated, smirking at them again "But we were at his house a few days ago and things got a bit heated, and we didn't stop"

"and you can't stop there either" Kathy complained, throwing a cushion at her friend "Details woman, details"

"Okay" Nikki grinned, it had been so long since she had had a talk like this with her friends, none of her other lovers had been anything to talk about. "It was on his sofa, I was on top so it wasn't really awkward with his cast. We weren't really going to do anything, until he started to touch me". She wasn't embarrassed talking about what had happened to her friends, they had done it all before so there was no point. "God the things he can do with those fingers"

"Jealous of you" Kathy giggled along with Jennifer.

"I don't think...no I _know_, I haven't had an orgasm like that in my life" Nikki told them straight out "It was bloody amazing"

"and then you..." Kathy prompted quickly "did the dirty?"

"Oh yes" Nikki grinned "it was.." she shrugged and poured herself some more wine "it was bloody amazing as well if I'm honest"

"Especially after you being deprived for eight months" Jennifer laughed and Nikki poked her tongue out at her "Keep that in your mouth, I don't know where it's been"

Nikki just smirked at them both and took a mouthful of her wine, trying not to laugh at the looks they gave each other. They both knew about her not enjoying oral sex, and to realise that she had done it shocked them slightly.

"He didn't make you did he?"

"No of course not" Nikki replied quickly, shaking her head and making sure that they knew that Harry wasn't like that. "I just wanted to do it and it felt so right. I then explained to him that I didn't normally like doing it and he was so sweet about it, saying that I didn't have to do it anymore if I didn't want to"

"And will you?"

"Of course I will be" Nikki replied with a laugh "_You_ haven't seen him naked"

"How big is he?" Kathy enquired, raising an eyebrow as Nikki flushed.

"Huge. And I know that's the natural thing to say, but trust me on this" Nikki nodded downing the rest of her glass of wine, feeling it affecting her already "he's been in me, I know"

Her friend's just howled with laughter at Nikki's forwardness of the situation, their laughter never ceasing even when they heard the front door open and close, then saw Harry hobble into the room. Their laughter increased as Nikki turned away from her lover, her face burning as she snorted and started to laugh as well. Harry looked extremely confused and intimidated by the three women, glancing from one to the other, then back at his lover who was trying to stifle her laughter.

"I think we should go Jen" Kathy commented through her laughter "Nikki has a _long _night ahead of her"

The three women collapsed into hysterics again and Harry gave up. He shook his head and couldn't help but smile at how happy Nikki looked.

"Women" he muttered as he hobbled out of the room again.

* * *

**Poor Harry is oblivious again. hehe.**

**Oh and I've just written chapters 20 and 21..you're going to hate me. :D**

**xxx**


	17. Chapter 17

**Smut in this chapter, actually it's 100% smut so I'll upload another chapter to be generous to those who don't want to read badly written smut :D**

**xxx**

* * *

"I told Kath and Jen about us" Nikki informed Harry later on as they lay in bed. The male pathologist pressed against Nikki's back, one of his arms draped over her stomach, the same hand entwined in one of hers. The other arm was laying on her pillow as he gently played with her hair.

"Okay" Harry replied sleepily, his breath tickling Nikki's neck where his face was buried, absentmindedly pressing small kisses to her skin at random intervals.

"You don't mind?"

"No" her lover replied again, chuckling slightly "I guessed that's what you were talking and laughing about when I walked in"

"Something like that" Nikki flushed, giggling slightly when she thought back to the conversation "We were talking about you actually" she told him, deciding to be forward with him and see how he reached "A particular part of you"

"and what part would that be Dr Alexander?" Harry asked innocently, moving away from her neck and looking down at her. Nikki turned her head slightly and grinned at him.

"What part do you think?" she murmured, leaning up to kiss him "I told them how large you were" she whispered, licking her lips as she spoke.

Harry followed the path of her tongue, leaning down and pressing his lips to hers, dominating the kiss straight away as Nikki turned over fully and ran her hands through his hair. He then kissed his way down her neck, making Nikki gasp and lean her head back slightly.

"and about how it feels..when..g_od Harry_" she hissed as he pulled her pyjama top over her head and attached his mouth to one of her breasts, teasing her with his tongue and making her moan, arching up into his mouth.

"When what Nicola?" Harry murmured against her chest, moving his mouth to her other breast, his hand going to the one he had just assaulted.

"When you're..in..me" she groaned, pulling his head closer to her and parting her legs slightly when she felt his free hand wander down her body and in between her thighs, pressing lightly against her through her pyjamas and making her moan. He then moved his hand away from her and looked up from her chest, hardening even more than he was when he saw her already panting, her pupils almost fully dilated and her mouth open slightly as she drew in small breaths. Harry then realised that Nikki deserved to just lay there and be pleasured by him, as opposed to her doing all the work. He silently cursed his broken leg.

"Nicola" he whispered, moving up her body and pressing his lips to hers. She opened her eyes and smiled at him. "You just lay there, and I'm going to worship you" he murmured. Nikki felt her eyes fill with tears as she heard this, no-one had ever done that before, they just went straight for the sex. "But I can't make love to you properly until my cast is off"

"Okay" Nikki replied quietly, bringing his head down to kiss him again, their tongues battling for dominance as she ran her hands over his naked chest. Harry then broke away and once more kissed his way down her neck and chest, bringing one breast into his mouth and making Nikki moan loudly, her eyes flickering shut as the fire in the pit of her stomach grew. Harry then moved to her other breast, giving it the same treatment as the other one. However Nikki needed him somewhere else, and arched into him, moaning as she pressed herself against his arousal.

"Need you.." she murmured, her eyes opening slightly as he looked up at her "Touch..me"

"You need to learn to be patient" Harry smirked, kissing his way down her stomach and pressing one last kiss just above the waistband of her pyjama bottoms. Nikki didn't want to be patient however, and reached down to press her own hand to her centre, gasping in pleasure as she did so. Harry took in a sharp breath as he watched her, licking his lips and wondering how many times she had touched herself thinking of him. If it was as much as he had done, thinking of her then it was a lot. Harry reached up and gently pulled her pyjama bottoms down her legs, leaving her knickers on as he pulled the pyjamas away and dropped them to the floor, his eyes never leaving Nikki's. He wanted to touch her, to make her shout his name with only his touch making her do so, but there was something else that he wanted as well. He saw that Nikki had moved her hand away from herself, looking at him expectantly as if waiting for him to continue. Harry then moved up her body again, making sure his arousal pressed against her centre and made her moan his name softly. He kissed the side of her neck slowly, reaching down to push her hips back onto the bed when she arched up into him. He then reached her ear and pressed a soft kiss just below, and in a voice just above a whisper he told her what he wanted.

"I want to see you touch yourself" he murmured so Nikki had to strain to hear him. Nikki turned her head slightly to look at him, and he was surprised that there was only a smirk on her face, no surprise or shock at all. Harry then moved down her body, quickly pulling her knickers off and gasping slightly when he saw her hand between her legs. He looked up at her and saw that her head was thrown back against the pillows, her mouth open as she moan his name. Harry almost came there and then at the mere sight of his lover, but he stopped himself and reached down to alleviate some of his own arousal. He pulled his tracksuit bottoms and boxers off and dropped them to the floor, never taking his eyes off Nikki. The blonde woman was making loud moans and whimpers now, her chest heaving as Harry watched her. She opened her eyes and looked at him, murmuring his name repeatedly as she pressed another of her fingers into herself. Harry licked his lips and leant down, pressing his lips to her inner thighs, moving higher with each kiss, one hand keeping Nikki from bucking off the bed, the other on his erection, stroking it to try and relieve some more of his arousal. Harry looked up at his lover as she cried his name out, her body arching off the bed slightly and his name tumbling from her lips in a shout. Nikki tried to even out her breathing as she looked down at Harry, his eyes filled with so much love and lust that she had trouble breathing again. She had never been so turned on in her life as she realised that she liked Harry watching her. A slight blush rose on her cheeks as she moved her hand away from herself, gasping slightly as reached out and grabbed her wrist gently, brining her hand to her mouth and taking her fingers into his mouth one by one. Nikki couldn't help the moan that escaped her as she saw and felt this, Harry's eyes never leaving hers as she felt the fire in her stomach again.

"You are beautiful" he told her as he placed her hand on her stomach, leaning down to nibble her neck slightly, wanting to mark hers as his. "Especially when you are moaning my name" he paused and chuckled "Or shouting my name. I never took you as a screamer"

"Well now you know" Nikki giggled, pushing him away slightly and seeing his grin.

"We'll have to be careful about that at work" Harry stated and Nikki couldn't help but roll her eyes. Following her lover's actions as he kissed his way down her body again, then her thighs, paying attention to both of them as he got higher. Nikki squirmed as he blew a small breath against her still sensitive centre, looking up at her for permission.

"Do you trust me?" he whispered.

"With everything" The blonde-haired woman nodded, giving him a small smile.

Harry knew that he had her ultimate trust, a surge of pride shooting through him as he remembered that he was the only one who had done this to her. Nikki arched off the bed as she felt Harry's tongue connect with her, a strangled moan escaped her as the heat pooled in her stomach. Her eyes fluttered closed and her breathing became shallow as she moaned Harry's name like a mantra, reaching down and running her hands through his hair, encouraging him on. She heard him telling her how gorgeous she was and how he was glad that he was the only one who had tasted her like this. Feeling her orgasm building rapidly, Nikki couldn't help but arch up into Harry as he pressed two fingers inside of her, making Nikki gasp in surprise.

"Harry" she panted "_God.._Harry.. need.." a loud moan interrupted her muddled words as Harry quickened his pace "there.." she hissed as Harry hit the right spot. He used this to his advantage, and a few seconds later she arched up into him, shouting his name as her powerful orgasm washed over her. As she recovered, she opened her eyes and looked down at Harry, who was smiling up at her, his eyes shining.

"Good?" he asked as he moved up her body, pressing small kisses up her heaving torso until he was looking down at her.

"Well" Nikki replied, drawing the word out as she ran one hand down his body, wrapping it around his hard member and drawing a quiet moan from her lover "I suppose a repeat performance would be needed later to determine my verdict"

* * *

**Another chapter up soon.**

**xxx**


	18. Chapter 18

The next morning, Nikki woke up alone in bed. The feeling was so familiar that it brought tears to her eyes, waking up naked and alone after who-knows-what with who-knows-who the night before.

"Nikki sweetheart what's wrong?" a familiar voice from the bedroom doorway said and Nikki looked up at her lover and smiled slightly, watching as he hobbled quickly over to the bed and climbed back in, wrapping his arms protectively around her. "What are the tears for?"

"Nothing" Nikki replied quietly, snuggling closer to Harry and laying her head on his naked chest.

"Nicola" Harry warned, sending a shiver up Nikki's spine. He knew what using her full name did to her. "What's wrong? You don't get upset for no-reason"

"I thought you'd gone" she whispered, running her fingers lightly over his chest and stomach.

"Why would I go?" Harry asked in confusion, running one hand through her hair then down her naked back, rubbing circles on her soft skin.

"Everyone else does" Nikki responded with a sob, biting her lip and closing her eyes to stop herself breaking down. Harry shifted slightly under her and sighed, reaching down and placing his hands on her arms, making her sit up slightly and look at him. He then moved so he was sitting up against the headboard and then pulled Nikki gently onto his lap, allowing her to curl up and cry against his chest, knowing that she needed to let it all go. He rubbed her back gently, whispering soothing words into her ear as he did so.

"I'm not going to leave you Nikki, I promise you that" Harry told her quietly "You're my life now, and I don't care how cheesy that sounds"

Nikki gave him a watery giggle and brought her hand up to her face to wipe her tears. Harry however beat her too it and gently wiped her cheeks with his thumb.

"I'm in love with you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you" he added, leaning down and pressing his lips to hers.

"That better not have been a proposal Harry" Nikki told him forcibly, reaching up and placing one hand on his cheek "We're not ready for that yet"

"It's a promise Nikki" Harry replied quietly, studying her face carefully as he spoke, smiling at the relieved look on her face when he said this. "I know we're not ready for marriage yet, but maybe in the future?" he asked uncertainly. His heart jumping as Nikki nodded and leant up to kiss him, words not needed to show that she agreed with him.

-------

"What day is the school reunion next week?" Harry asked Nikki as they sat having breakfast a few hours later. Nikki, much to Harry's disappointment and protest, having put her pyjamas on. He had argued that they were the only ones in the house and could see her, so there was no point putting any of her clothes on. Nikki had just rolled her eyes and shaken her head, giggling as she pulled her pyjama top over her head.

"Saturday" Nikki replied, taking a gulp of her coffee and flicking her hair over her shoulder "and it's formal wear, so a tux for you doctor"

"And a nice dress for you?" Harry asked hopefully.

"Maybe" Nikki told him with a smirk "and if you're good it'll be low cut, just for you"

Harry raised an eyebrow and put his mug down on the table, keeping eye contact with his lover as he did so.

"However all the other men in the room will able to see" Harry responded, leaning over and kissing her gently, running one hand up the front of her baggy pyjama top and over one of her breasts, making Nikki arch up into him slightly. "and I might get jealous if I see them looking at you"

"It's only for you" Nikki whispered, placing her hands on Harry's face and pulling him closer as she spoke, running one through his hair. "Only you can touch"

"Good" Harry murmured, pulling Nikki's top over her head and dropping it to the floor.

------

"You're happy today" Leo commented to Nikki later that afternoon at work. Nikki looked up from the microscope and smiled her the older man, a slight blush on her face as she thought about what was making her happy. "I take it there's a man involved"

"Yes" Nikki replied truthfully, her smile growing "Yes there is"

Leo sighed quietly, hoping that Nikki wasn't going to get hurt again. He and Harry hated seeing her hurting after another broken relationship, and he didn't want to see her put her heart into one, like he knew she was doing now, for it to collapse around her.

"Be careful Nikki" Leo told her "I don't want to pry, but I don't want to see you hurt"

"Thank you Leo" Nikki smiled, leaning over and pressing her lips to his cheek "For caring"

"Does Harry know?" Leo enquired, knowing that the other man would be absolutely crushed when he found out that Nikki was in a relationship, one that looked like she was extremely happy in.

"Not yet" Nikki lied, hoping that Leo couldn't see that she wasn't telling him the truth "I haven't told him yet"

She knew that if she told Leo that Harry knew, the older man would get suspicious when he saw Harry and how happy he was. Harry had explained to her a few days before how jealous and upset he had been every time she had a new man, and how it was obvious to everyone apart from her. Leo frowned when he heard Nikki say that, as much as he didn't want her hurt, he didn't want Harry hurt either.

"When are you planning on telling him?"

"Soon" Nikki replied with a small smile and a nod "I'll sit him down and tell him"

Leo just nodded and turned when the phone in his office rang, he apologised and then walked off, leaving Nikki to let out a low breath, grateful for whoever it was who was ringing. She hated lying to Leo, the man who treated her like his own daughter, but knew it had to happen. She and Harry were still finding their feet as a couple, but knew they would be telling Leo and Janet very soon.

------

"I had to lie to Leo today" Nikki stated when she got home later that evening, throwing her jacket over the arm of the sofa and glaring at Harry who was sitting on the sofa, looking innocently at her.

"Good evening to you too my love" he replied, reaching over and pulling her onto his lap, kissing her gently "I've missed you". His hand began to wander up her naked leg and up the front of her skirt. Nikki however pushed him away and broke the kiss.

"I had to lie to Leo today, and it was horrible" she told him, stroking his face gently with her thumb "When can we tell him? I want him to know"

"What did you tell him?"

"He commented that I was happier than I had been in a while" Nikki replied, making Harry smile, knowing that he was the source of that happiness "He guessed that there was a man involved and I said yes" she continued "he then asked if you knew, and I said no and that I would tell you soon"

"We'll tell him soon, I promise" Harry nodded, kissing her again "Now how was your day?"

* * *

**Getting closer to the dreaded chapter 20 :D**

**xxx**


	19. Chapter 19

"Leo is something wrong?" Janet asked that evening as they both sat curled up together on the sofa, the news playing on the television but Janet could tell that Leo wasn't really taking it in.

"Hmm?"

"Is something wrong?" Janet asked again, rolling her eyes as Leo turned to look at her "There's something on your mind"

"Nikki has a new man" he told his lover quietly and Janet just shrugged and frowned "and she seems extremely happy with him, not like I've ever seen her before when she talks about a man. Harry doesn't know though"

"Ah" was all Janet said and Leo nodded.

"Exactly"

"When is she going to tell him? They're living together at the moment aren't they? It's going to be hard not to notice anything" Janet said after a few seconds.

"I don't know, she said soon, but I don't know how soon soon is" Leo sighed, leaning her head back against the sofa and shaking his head "I don't want to see either of them hurt, and it's going to happen once Nikki tells Harry. Because he will get annoyed and upset, he will try and hide it and then lash out at Nikki, who will then retaliate to defend herself. They will both get hurt again, I know it"

"They'll sort themselves out though" Janet replied, squeezing Leo's shoulder slightly and leant forward to kiss him gently "They always do"

Leo just nodded, not really believing the woman next to him. However, he ended the conversation by reaching up and kissing her, a smile spreading over his face.

--------

"So how do we tell Leo" Nikki asked Harry as she sat on his lap watching Top Gun, the female pathologist having lost the race to the DVD cupboard and therefore having Harry chose the DVD. She had noticed that she always ended up on Harry's lap one way or the other when they were on the sofa, his arms around her protectively and her head on his chest. Not that she minded of course.

"The usual way?" Harry suggested, not taking his eyes from the television as he spoke "Hi Leo, sorry but we lied to you. We're dating now, I hope you don't mind"

Nikki just shook her head and let out an exasperated sigh, leaning her head back on his chest, fiddling slightly with the buttons on his shirt. She felt her eyes getting heavy, despite the fact that it was only nine o'clock in the evening, and she soon gave in and closed them, snuggling closer to Harry as she did so. When Harry hadn't heard anything from his lover in a few minutes, he looked down and saw that she was fast asleep. He couldn't help but smile down at her, running one hand gently over her cheek and leaning down to press his lips to her forehead. Harry knew he would have to wake her up at some point, he couldn't carry her up the stairs with a broken leg, but he let her sleep, content to have her in his arms.

A few hours later when the film had ended, Harry gently nudged Nikki to wake her. She groaned slightly but kept her eyes shut.

"Nikki sweetheart" Harry whispered, moving her so she wasn't pressed up against him any more "Wake up, you can move to bed now"

"No" Nikki murmured, attaching herself to her lover and refusing to move. Harry just chuckled and forcibly moved her hands away from him, sitting her up on his lap. She groaned and opened her eyes, blinking and wincing as she was pulled back to reality.

"We can go to bed now" Harry laughed "It's got to be more comfortable than me"

"Hmm" Nikki replied sleepily and Harry didn't know whether she was agreeing with him or not. "Carry me?"

"I can't" Harry replied "Broken leg remember?"

Nikki sighed and slid off Harry, stumbling slightly due to her sleepiness and letting out a loud yawn. Harry then stood up as well, grabbing his crutches and making his way over to the television to turn it off. He did so and then turned back to Nikki, seeing her smiling gently at him, looking extremely tired.

"Are you feeling alright?" Harry asked in concern. It wasn't like Nikki to fall asleep at nine o'clock, and she did look a bit pale.

"I'm fine" she replied, turning the living room lights off as they walked from the room "Just tired"

Harry wasn't convinced at all, but Nikki never told anyone when she was ill, she suffered in silence until someone forced her to the doctors or home to sleep, that someone normally being him or Leo. Nikki changed into her pyjamas and brushed her teeth quicker than Harry had ever seen her do it and was in bed before he had even grabbed his pyjamas. Harry was slightly worried about his lover, but knew that she would just get angry at him if he said anything, so he just leant over and pressed his lips to her forehead, telling her to sleep well. By the time he walked back into the bedroom ten minutes later, she was already in a deep sleep.

------

"Good morning" Nikki grinned as she wrapped her arms around Harry's neck from behind and leant up to press a kiss onto his cheek. Harry glanced away from the boiling kettle and grinned at her.

"Good morning to you too beautiful" he replied, kissing her again and turning round so he was facing her, before he kissed her again with more passion. He deepened the kiss and Nikki didn't bother to fight for domination, she just let Harry kiss her. Her hands ran through his hair and pulled him closer, Harry's arms wrapping around her waist and tugging her forward. He reached down to push her pyjama bottoms down, but Nikki quickly broke the kiss and shook her head. Harry reached behind him with one hand to grasp at one of his crutches, leaning on it slightly as his other hand rubbed Nikki's back. "Why not?" he asked quietly, wondering if he had done something wrong. Nikki just giggled and shook her head.

"Don't worry it's not you" she told him, making him wonder, not for the first time, if she could read his mind. "I started my period this morning that's all"

"Ah" Harry replied, and Nikki giggled even louder as a small blush rose on his face.

"You're such a man" she laughed as she moved past him to pour the now boiled water into two mugs, making their morning coffee.

"Excuse me?"

"One mentions of periods and such things and you instantly clam up and blush. All men do it" Nikki responded, turning her head and grinning at him as Harry tried to think of something to respond to that. "It's funny". She handed Harry his coffee and he wandered over to the table, sitting down with a groan. Nikki however stayed leaning against the counter, mug of coffee cradled between her hands. "I've been thinking.."

"Scary" Harry responded instantly and Nikki glared playfully at him.

"I've been thinking" she continued as though she hadn't been interrupted "about going on the pill"

"Are you sure?" Harry enquired seriously and Nikki nodded "Why aren't you on it now?"

"Most of them make me ill" she responded quietly and Harry sighed.

"Then don't go on any" he told her "I don't want you getting ill"

"Do you want me getting pregnant?" Nikki shot back but Harry didn't respond to that, knowing that whatever answer he gave her would be the wrong one.

"I don't want you getting ill" Harry repeated more forcibly "We'll just have to be extra careful won't we?"

"and if we forget?" Nikki enquired, putting her mug behind her and crossing her arms over her chest "What if we forget one time, because it's bound to happen, and I get pregnant?"

"Is that such a bad thing?" Harry asked loudly.

"Yes" Nikki yelled at him, shocking her lover so much that he didn't know how to respond "Yes it is".

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**Right I've decided to ignore what I was going to do originally so you don't have to worry much about later chapters, so ignore the warnings I have been giving you. Just so you know. This fic wasn't the right time to do it.**

**xxx**


	20. Chapter 20

Leo could tell that Nikki was in a bad mood just by the way that she stormed into the lab, half an hour before her shift was due to start. He watched as she threw her bag onto her desk, her desk he noted, not Harry's, and tugged her jacket off, throwing that onto her chair as well. She then made her way over to his office, slamming the door open and striding on in.

"Good morning Dr Alexander" Leo greeted her as the door flung back and shut with a loud bang "I would like it if you kept my office intact".

He gave her a small smile, which to his surprise wasn't returned. Nikki just sat herself on his sofa and buried her head in her hands, letting out a small groan as she then ran one hand through her lose hair.

"What's wrong?"

"Men" she replied simply "You just..ahh..you're a stupid species with stupid feelings and stupid ideas" she replied with a glare. Leo could tell it was PMS, he had been living with Janet and had known Nikki long enough to know when both women were hormonal.

"I take it this is something to do with this new man" Leo said carefully, knowing how volatile women could be when they were near or on their periods.

"Yes" Nikki snapped "I talked to him this morning about going on the pill and he just told me not to"

Leo raised an eyebrow and turned in his chair to look at her, wondering why she was talking to him about it.

"Um..any reason that he doesn't want you to go on the pill?" he asked hesitantly and Nikki scoffed.

"I get ill from taking the pill, any sort" she explained, not seeming at all embarrassed that she was discussing this subject with Leo. "and he said that I shouldn't go on it if I get ill. So I then asked him if it would be better if I got pregnant and he asked if that was such a bad thing"

Leo was shocked when he heard this, wondering who this man was to say that getting Nikki pregnant would be a good idea. They'd only been dating for a week at least from what he had seen, and they probably hadn't even known each other that long.

"What did you say?"

"I said it would be a bad thing and then stormed out of the room" Nikki responded, leaning back against the sofa and letting out a breath "when I say 'said' I actually mean yelled" she added quietly and Leo had to stifle his chuckle "so then Harry took what I said to mean that I don't want children with..."

"Harry?" Leo interrupted loudly and Nikki sat up and swore loudly "You and Harry?"

"Yes" Nikki replied, nodding slightly and hoping that Harry wouldn't blow a gasket when she told him that she had accidentally outed them. One argument was enough for her. "I'm sorry for lying to you Leo"

"It's okay" Leo told her, smiling slightly as he realised all of his worries about them getting hurt were superficial. However the argument that his two friends had had was a pretty big one, talking about children didn't normally come this early. Leo then had to think about it, since when were Harry and Nikki a normal couple?. "I understand"

"Thank you" Nikki responded quietly "But I don't understand why Harry would risk me getting pregnant. We're not ready for that Leo"

"I think Harry was more interested in you not getting ill, than the long term affects if you don't go on the pill" Leo supplied for her and Nikki nodded slightly "I don't think he fully understands the consequences if you don't"

"But I'm so confused Leo" Nikki whispered, running one hand over her face to stop herself crying "I never wanted children when I was younger, all my friends were saying how they wanted children and they cooed over children and babies in the street, but I didn't. I just wasn't like that, it was like I wasn't mother material. But recently I..." she stopped and glanced at Leo who nodded at her to continue "I see a mother holding a baby in the street and I want that to be me. I walk past baby shops and I want to be one of the people in there buying clothes and getting ready for when the baby is born. But I'm terrified because I've never felt that before and I'm not prepared to get pregnant right now and then have something go wrong with me and Harry because we rushed into things"

'Rushed into things?' Leo thought incredulously 'It took you six bloody years to see what's right in front of you'

"I think you and Harry need to sit down and have a proper talk about it" Leo informed Nikki seriously "No shouting, no screaming at each other, a calm chat talking about what you both want"

"His mother mentioned us having children" Nikki then told Leo, who raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"You've been introduced to his mother?"

"Yes" Nikki nodded "I'm the only woman that he's introduced to her apparently, so that automatically makes me his future wife and mother of his children" she added bitterly. "It seemed nice at the time. My partner's mother telling us that we should have children, it was like her giving us permission, you know" Leo nodded and let Nikki continue "But now it just seems like we're being pushed into something that we're not ready for. Children aren't something that you talk about this early in a relationship"

"This early in a relationship?" Leo repeated loudly, laughing as he shook his head "Nikki, you and Harry have been in a relationship for nearly six years now, you just didn't know it. It was so blindingly obvious how you felt about each other, yet you two couldn't see it"

"I don't want to get hurt any more Leo" Nikki whispered, her voice breaking as tears slipped down her face. Leo instantly got up and walked over to her, sitting down on the sofa and gathering the young woman into his arms, soothing her as she cried into his shoulder.

"It'll be alright Nikki" Leo told her, rubbing her arm gently as he talked "You'll sort it out between you, you always do"

------

Nikki immersed herself in a case for the rest of the day. A young man walking home from a club the night before had been hit by a car that had mounted the curb, he had died on the way to the hospital. Nikki felt sorry for the man, he was in his early twenties, not even out of university yet and his life had been taken from him. Nikki had to watch as his parents identified the body, the mother breaking down as soon as she saw the shattered form of her little boy in front of her, the father staring blankly at his son as he held his sobbing wife against him, their world collapsing. Nikki had then been informed that he had a wife and a young daughter, six months old who would never know her daddy. Nikki had then become even more determined to catch the person who had torn an entire family apart.

* * *

**Hmm..not sure about this chapter. I wanted to show how Nikki wants children, but she's not prepared to have them this early in hers and Harry's relationship. Not sure if that came out properly or not.**

**xxx**


	21. Chapter 21

"Harry we need to talk" Nikki told her lover as she seated herself on the sofa next to him, curling her legs under her, but giving them enough room in between them so they weren't touching. Harry turned the television off and turned to look at her, no emotion on his face to give away what he was feeling. "I told Leo" she stated "Actually I accidentally let it slip about us, but he's fine with it"

"Fine" Harry replied, nodding at her to continue, their argument from the morning still at the forefront of his mind.

"And I told him about our argument, and what it was about"

"Nikki" Harry sighed, shaking his head and running one hand through his hair "It was personal, between us"

"I needed someone to talk to"

"You could have talked to me" Harry told her loudly and Nikki glared at him.

"You're the one who started it, telling me that it's okay for me to get pregnant, but not okay for me to get ill from taking the pill" she yelled back "I don't want to get pregnant right now"

"Well I don't want you to get ill" Harry replied just as loudly.

"We had this bloody conversation this morning" Nikki hissed at him "It's much better for me to get ill than for me to get pregnant"

"I'd rather you pregnant"

"Well I'm not fucking ready to have a child" she screamed at him, standing up and running one hand through her lose hair as she backed away from him. She turned away and took a deep breath, trying to ignore the shocked look Harry gave her. "I'm not" she whispered.

"It sounds to me like you're trying to convince yourself" Harry commented, for once staying absolutely calm, unlike their argument that morning when they had both been yelling at each other.

"If your mother hadn't had brought the subject up this wouldn't..."

"Don't blame my mother" Harry snapped glaring at his lover as she turned around.

"Oh so you're sticking up for her now" Nikki replied hatefully "You were the one who told her to shut up about the subject"

"Because I knew it would embarrass you" Harry defended himself "Not because I thought it was a bad idea"

"Well it is a bloody awful idea" Nikki responded loudly "Because to be quite honest with you we would both be fucking awful parents. My dad has no parental skills what-so-ever, neither did my mother come to think about it now, and your dad was a nut job who killed himself. Do you honestly believe that we won't be like them?" she screamed the last part at him before running out of the room, slamming the door and leaving Harry with tears clouding his vision. Knowing that what Nikki had said was true.

----

Nikki threw herself onto the bed and sobbed into her pillow, curling up into a ball and clutching onto the duvet like her life depended on it. Her body shook as she cried loudly, tears streaming down her face and mingling on her pillow. She had ruined everything. She finally had something, someone, in her life that loved her unconditionally and she had gone and ruined it. She had broken the one rule that she had given herself, she had told Harry that he would turn out like his father and she hated herself for that. Nikki could still see the terrified look in Harry's eyes, no anger at her or sadness at the fact that they were arguing, just utter terror at the thought of turning into his father. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her mobile, pressing the speed dial shakily and holding the phone up to her ear, biting her lip to stop herself sobbing.

"_Hello?"_

"Janet it's Nikki" she said shakily, swallowing the lump in her throat "Can I come round?"

"_Of course you can. What's wrong? And don't say 'nothing' because I can tell"_

"I..I'll tell you when I get there"

"_Okay. Be careful"_

"I will" Nikki responded, smiling slightly as she heard the concern in the older woman's voice "I won't be long. Thank you"

"_Okay, see you soon"_

Nikki then hung up and swung her legs over the side of the bed, pulling on a pair of shoes and grabbing a jacket. She quickly made her way downstairs and made sure to shut the front door loudly, to let Harry know that she was going out.

-------

"So what's wrong?" Janet asked Nikki half an hour later as the blonde pathologist sat curled up on the sofa, legs drawn up to her chest and biting her lip gently as she stared at the floor. Janet sat next to her friend, but didn't move to touch her as she placed two mugs of coffee on the table in front of them. "Nikki?"

"Harry and I had an argument" Nikki whispered, not taking her eyes away from the carpet as she spoke "a rather loud and violent argument on my half"

"What about?" Janet enquired and Nikki's eyes filled with tears. The blonde pathologist clamped her eyes shut and willed the tears away.

"This morning before work" Nikki started "I told Harry I wanted to go on the pill, but then I told him that they make me ill. I thought it was better than the alternative, accidentally pregnant. But Harry told me that he didn't want me getting ill from being on the pill and insinuated that it would be better for me to get pregnant" she took a deep breath and Janet nodded at her to continue "So we had an argument and I went to work. I talked to Leo about it and he told me to sit down with Harry and talk about it sensibly, but things got out of hand and..." she bit her lip and a few tears leaked from her eyes "we argued again. I told him that we would be awful parents because of how our own were, and practically told him..that he..will..turn..out like..his...father" she sobbed, hating herself for what she had said to Harry. Janet moved over and wrapped her arms around her crying friend, letting the blonde woman bury her face in her shoulder and cry, her small body shaking. "How could..I tell him..that..when I know that..it's his..greatest fear"

"Maybe you should go back and apologise" Janet suggested after a short silence "This is Harry we're talking about, he worships the ground that you walk on. He'll understand if you explain everything"

Nikki just shook her head and reached up to wipe her face.

"If I was him I would hate me" she whispered

"Harry does not and will never hate you" Janet told her forcibly, pushing the younger woman away from her slightly and shaking her head as tears rolled down Nikki's cheeks "He loves you more than anything in his life, he will understand if you talk to him"

"I'm scared Janet" Nikki murmured "Because he's already practically asked me to marry him, we laughed it off as a joke, both of us saying that we're not ready. And now he would rather me pregnant than ill. I'm scared that we're moving too fast and it'll all come crashing down around me"

"Nikki you've been in love for six years, and don't deny it because it's true from what I've heard" Janet smiled at Nikki who just shrugged and accepted the tissue that the older woman had pulled out of the box. "All this was bound to happen eventually, you and Harry, getting married and having babies"

Nikki gave her friend a watery chuckle and wiped away some more fallen tears as Janet smiled at her and continued.

"Do you honestly think you two will be able to wait for both?"

"I want to...I don't want us to move to quickly" Nikki repeated weakly "and I'm scared because I find myself wanting what Harry wants. When he talks about having children with me it just...it excites me and scares me at the same time. I know we've been leading up to this, I accept that, but.." he shook her head and sighed, wrapping her arms around her legs and resting her chin on his knees "we don't know if we're going to work as a couple"

Janet just sighed and raised her eyes to the ceiling, as if praying for strength. She wondered how someone as intelligent as Nikki could be so blind and stupid. Before she could answer however, the front door opened and they heard Leo call out to his partner. He then walked into the living room and his smile faded when he saw the distressed Nikki sitting on his sofa.

"Nikki?" he asked and Janet shook her head and gave him an exasperated look. She then stood up and walked over to him, placing her hands on his shoulders and kissing him. "Is she alright?" he asked Janet quietly and she shook her head.

"She and Harry have had another argument, more heated apparently, about the same thing as this morning. I can't seem to get through to her"

"I'll talk to her" Leo sighed and Janet nodded, kissing him again before walking out of the room to give Leo some time alone with his almost daughter.

* * *

**Yeah, more angst, because I know you all love it ;)**

**xxx**


	22. Chapter 22

Leo seated himself next to the crying form of his almost daughter and reached over to gently wrap his arm around her shoulders.

"I'm sorry Leo" she sobbed, attempting to get up off the sofa "I should leave you and Janet alone"

"Nicola Jane Alexander sit down" Leo told her forcibly and pulled her back down onto the sofa. Nikki was too shocked to argue and just stared at the man next to her, he had never used her full name in all their years of knowing each other. "I told you to go and sit down with Harry and have a calm chat. What happened?"

Nikki felt like she was getting told off by her father, or what it would have felt like if her father had actually bothered to take an interest in her life.

"I did" she replied as she wiped her face and took a deep breath "Or I tried to anyway, we both started having a go at each other and it escalated until I told Harry that he.." she stopped and shook her head, knowing that Leo would be disappointed in her.

"Go on" Leo told her calmly "you told Harry that he.."

"Would turn out like his father" Nikki whispered tearfully, pushing them away and shaking her head "It was a horrible thing to do I know, but it just slipped out. I was telling him about how we would make terrible parents, I didn't mean it, he would be an amazing dad but it's me I'm scared about because I would be a terrible mother and I.."

"Nikki breathe" Leo chuckled slightly and Nikki gave him a small smile back. "You obviously didn't mean it, I know you. You wouldn't tell Harry that on purpose. And don't say you would be a terrible mother, I know different. Any child would be honoured to have you as a mother". Nikki just shook her head and let Leo continue "and how do you know if you haven't tried?"

"I can't just _try_ being a mother, Leo" Nikki replied incredulously "I can't just take the baby back to the hospital and say, 'sorry, I'm a really awful mother you can have it back now'" she ran one hand over her face and sighed "I feel so confused"

"Because you're getting broody but you don't want children, or have children yet?"

Nikki just nodded and took a deep shuddering breath, willing herself not to cry again.

"and I'm scared of having children"

"Well I can't help you there" Leo told her, gently rubbing her back as he saw the tears building in Nikki's eyes again. "That's something that you and Harry need to talk about together, calmly and like adults. Not like last time" he paused as Nikki nodded slowly "Preferably very soon". He stopped again and looked Nikki up and down. "You're not pregnant are you?"

"No" Nikki chuckled, reaching up and wiping her face "Definitely not"

"Are you sure?" Leo enquired, worried about his friend because she never normally acted like this.

"I am one hundred percent sure that I'm not pregnant Leo" Nikki told him as Janet walked in the room. Nikki rolled her eyes at the older woman as Leo turned to greet her and Janet smiled back.

"How do you know?" Leo asked, not knowing how long that Nikki and Harry had actually officially been together.

"One, we first slept together three, four days ago" Nikki giggled as she stood up "and two, I'm on my period"

Both women laughed loudly as Leo flushed a red that Nikki had never seen on him before. He stood up and Nikki wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly.

"Thank you" she whispered in his ear "I'll talk to him"

"Tonight" Leo told her as Nikki drew away from him.

"Tomorrow"

"_Tonight_" Leo said forcibly "Otherwise don't bother coming into work tomorrow. I mean it Nikki, I hate seeing you so upset and I'm sure Harry is just as upset as you, and I don't want you two to break up after so many years of wanting to be together"

"Okay tonight" Nikki nodded, hugging Janet as she agreed to this "What if he doesn't listen?"

"He will" Janet replied, patting Nikki on the arm as the younger woman pulled away "and if he doesn't, ring one of us and we'll come round and knock some sense into him" she then chuckled and shot a look at her partner over Nikki's shoulder "when I say 'we', I mean Leo, because believe it or not, he's a little bit protective of you"

Leo just blushed again and shook his head, trying to deny it, but Nikki just gave him a smile and nodded slightly, before turning and allowing Janet to escort her out of the house.

--------

Harry had tactfully stayed away from the alcohol after Nikki had stormed out of the house, knowing that this was exactly how his father got started. He had always known that that man would come and haunt him in one way shape or form, and Harry's dislike for the man increased slightly. He stared at the television, not really seeing what was on, his senses more in tune to outside the house and the front door, waiting for Nikki to come back. It had been a good few hours since Nikki had stormed out of the house and Harry was beginning to worry, it was almost eleven o'clock. However, he heard the key in the lock and the front door opening and he shot to his feet as fast as he could as Nikki walked into the living room. He quickly reached over from where he was standing and grabbed her gently, pulling her into his arms and pressing his lips to the top of her head.

"I was worried" he whispered into her hair as Nikki snuggled up against him and wrapped her arms around his waist "I thought something had happened to you"

"I'm fine" Nikki murmured into his chest, letting out a contented sigh "I was with Janet, and then Leo came home and they both talked some sense into me. We need to talk though"

"I know" Harry nodded, sitting down again and allowing Nikki to crawl onto the sofa at the other end, curling her legs under herself and placing a cushion on her lap. "You can go on the pill if it makes you feel safer" he told Nikki quietly.

"Harry listen to me first. I'm sorry for saying that you'll turn out like him" Nikki told her lover, fiddling with the cushion as she spoke "I was angry and I didn't mean it, it just slipped out. It's not true at all"

"I know you didn't mean it" Harry replied, reaching over and gripping her hand in his, entwining their fingers and resting it on the cushion. "I know you and you wouldn't ever say anything like that on your own accord"

"Thank you" Nikki whispered, looking down at the cushion to hide her tears. If she was Harry, then she would never have been able to forgive her for that comment. "Now about the pill.."

"I don't mind if you go on it" Harry quickly told her "If you want to, it's your body"

"I just don't want us to make a mistake that we'd regret" Nikki replied, shrugging slightly and looking down at their entwined hands "I mean a baby is a big thing, it's not a mistake that we can rectify"

"You think a baby of ours would be a mistake?" Harry asked quietly and Nikki looked up at him, shocked to see sadness in his eyes "I thought that it would be a good thing, even if it was unplanned, us having a baby. Not a mistake. The baby would be loved, wouldn't it?"

"I didn't mean it like that" Nikki sighed, running one hand through her hair "A baby is a huge decision, life changing, and I don't want us to rush into something like that when we're only just finding our feet as a couple. I'm not saying no children at all, ever, just not right now"

"I understand" Harry nodded, leaning over and kissing her quickly but lovingly. Nikki reached up and ran one hand through his hair as he pulled away.

"And I'm going to be honest with you Harry, I _am_ getting broody" Nikki told him straight out, smiling as Harry's eyes lit up, knowing then that he was serious about the baby thing "But as I said, we're not ready at all"

"Okay, we'll wait" Harry nodded, kissing her again and deepening the kiss straight away, pulling Nikki closer and wrapping his arms around her waist. "I love you"

"I love you" Nikki responded as she pulled away and yawned loudly. Harry rolled his eyes and chuckled.

"Do I bore you?"

"No" his lover protested as she glanced at the time "It's past my bedtime anyway. You coming up?"

"In a minute" Harry nodded, patting her back slightly "You go up, I'll be up soon"

Nikki nodded and kissed him again, saying goodnight, knowing that she would be fast asleep by the time he came up. She then hopped off his lap and walked out of the room, happier than she had been in days.

* * *

**Why do the weekends go so quickly? :( anyway, not too sure about the Nikki/Leo interraction at the begining, but whatever.**

**xxx**


	23. Chapter 23

The next morning Nikki was woken by a familiar dull ache in her abdomen. Silently cursing whoever and whatever decided that women should have periods once a month, she climbed out of bed and glanced at the time, groaning slightly when she saw it was only half past six. She had an afternoon shift so she didn't even have to be up at this time. Nikki glanced over her shoulder at Harry, who was still fast asleep, the duvet bunched around his waist and his hair in disarray, his naked chest rising and falling with each breath. She smiled as she thought about their conversation the night before, where they had practically committed themselves to the other for life, agreeing that they would someday have children and maybe even get married. The ache got worse and Nikki stood up, wincing as a sharp pain shot from her abdomen. She grabbed her dressing gown and made her way to the bathroom in an attempt to find some painkillers, some very strong ones, hopefully some that knocked her out for a good few hours. She found some in the bathroom cupboard, unfortunately they weren't ones that made her sleep, and she swallowed two without water. Nikki knew there was no way she would be getting back to sleep now that she was wide awake, so she walked out of the bathroom and downstairs, straight into the kitchen and filled the kettle up with water, hoping that she didn't wake Harry. Looking at the calendar she realised that she only had five days left to find herself a suitable dress and shoes for the school reunion, and one of those days would probably be spent with Harry at the hospital, the rest of the day at work, so that crossed out one of them. Leaving only four days left. She had seen a dress that she liked, along with a pair of shoes that weren't too high. Nikki smirked suddenly as she filled her mug with coffee grounds and poured some milk in, waiting for the water, she had also found some rather suggestive underwear that was going to be a surprise for Harry. It wasn't tarty, but Nikki knew that Harry would like them. The kettle clicked and she quickly poured the water, desperate for her first mug of coffee of the day. Her stomach still ached terribly, the tablets having done nothing for her.

"What are you doing up?"

Nikki jumped slightly as she heard a voice in her doorway, turning to see Harry leaning on his crutches and looking sleepily at her. His hair still messy and a sleepy look on his face that made her want to go 'aww' and hug him. She refrained herself however, knowing that a sleepy Harry wouldn't appreciate her treating him like a child.

"Can't sleep" she replied, motioning to her abdomen "Period pains"

Harry winced sympathetically and nodded, hobbling over to her and putting one crutch down. He then gently wrapped one arm around her, as if scared he would hurt her even more.

"Do you have a hot water bottle?" he asked quietly, pressing his lips to the top of her head. Nikki just nodded and tried not to focus on the pain as she motioned upstairs.

"In the bathroom"

"Come on then" Harry smiled, pushing her gently towards the door. Nikki giggled slightly and grabbed her coffee as Harry ushered her out of the room, wondering what he was up to. He gently manoeuvred Nikki into the bedroom and told her to get into bed. Nikki frowned and did as she was told, watching Harry as he turned and walked out of the room again. She heard the bathroom door open and then close again and Harry's movements down the hallway and stairs. A few minutes later he walked back up the stairs and into the bedroom, holding her hot water bottle in his hand. Nikki smiled at him as he pulled the duvet away and gently placed the object on her stomach.

"Thank you?" Nikki whispered, turning onto her back and wincing slightly. "Come back to bed" she patted the bed next to her and Harry obeyed.

"Okay now?" he asked, putting his hand on the hot water bottle.

"Hey, stop stealing my heat" Nikki giggled and Harry grinned at her "and yes, I'm getting there. Thank you. Any other man would have let me get on with it, it's a woman's thing to deal with you know"

"I don't like seeing you in pain" Harry murmured, kissing her gently and moaning as Nikki allowed him to deepen the kiss, their tongues fighting for dominance. Harry broke away when the need for air became apparent and he rested his forehead on Nikki's, both of them breathing heavily. "Are they always this bad?"

"Not really" Nikki replied, shifting slightly and wincing "Some I don't even get a twinge, and some are like this"

"It must be annoying" Harry commented "I mean..you know..every month you.." he motioned to her abdomen, flushing slightly as Nikki giggled.

"We get used to it after a while. You men don't know what it's like" she smiled, running one hand through Harry's hair as she spoke.

"I suppose we don't" Harry nodded.

"However men do get PMS, without the period" Nikki laughed as Harry pouted and poked her in the side.

"That's not very nice"

Nikki was too busy laughing at the expression on his face and Harry couldn't help but be eternally grateful for whatever force got him and Nikki together.

"I need to go shopping" Nikki stated as she calmed down, Harry's expression almost staring her off again. "For a dress for Saturday. And you need a tux or a smart suit"

"I have one at home" Harry replied "and I'm sure you have dresses in there" he motioned to the wardrobe on the other side of the room.

"Yes" Nikki nodded "But I need something new"

"But you have dresses in there"

"I want something else to wear" Nikki countered with a slight glare "I want to look nice"

"You always look nice" Harry told her with a smile "Whatever you wear"

"Thank you" Nikki blushed, still not used to the proper compliments from Harry. "But I don't feel pretty right now"

"You look beautiful"

Nikki sighed and closed her eyes, snuggling closer to Harry as she did so.

"Wake me up at eleven, my shift starts at one" she murmured and Harry promised that he would. He held her until he heard her breathing even out, then he climbed out of bed and covered Nikki over, before hobbling out of the room.

--------

"Harry Cunningham!"

Harry winced as he heard Nikki's yell from upstairs. It was almost half past twelve, meaning that Nikki only had half an hour to get ready and get to work, something that normally took just over an hour. Why it took that long still confused Harry. He knew he was done for when he heard Nikki's footsteps on the stairs and when the living room door swung open she glared at him.

"Why the hell was I still in bed at half past twelve when my shift starts at one?" she hissed at him, hands on her hips. Harry winced again, he wasn't used to Nikki's hormonal anger being directed so much at him, normally she took it out on the police and detectives that they were working with.

"I phoned Leo and told him you won't be going in today because you're ill" Harry told her quickly, hoping to stop some of the damage before it had even started. He shifted slightly on the chair he was sitting on as Nikki looked like she was going to explode.

"You told Leo that I was working because I've got period pains?" she shouted at him, resting her hands on the table in front of him and staring at him.

"No, I told him that you were ill" Harry replied weakly.

"I am perfectly fine Harry. I have had to put up with this since I was thirteen, I think I have learnt to work through it, don't you?" she practically yelled at him and Harry nodded, not used to being yelled at by a hormonal woman. "Now I'm going to work and you're not going to stop me, and I'm going to tell Leo the reason why I'm going to be at least an hour late"

She then turned and stormed out of the room, leaving Harry to relax and let out a long breath, running one hand through his hair. He thought he had been doing Nikki a favour, she had looked terrible the last time he had seen her and thought that she would like the day off just so she didn't have to worry. Obviously not.

----

Half an hour later and Nikki rushed down the stairs again, Harry eyed her up discreetly as she walked into the living room. She was wearing a knee-length orange and white skirt, flat white shoes and a light orange t-shirt that hugged her curves perfectly. Harry looked up warily as she walked over to him and leant down, pressing her lips to his.

"Thank you for caring" she murmured, running one hand through his hair "I'll see you after work. I love you"

"I love you" Harry replied as Nikki all but bounded out of the room. He shook his head in exasperation. He would never get women and their ways of thinking, never.

* * *

**Right, for this school reunion, should the people there be really stuck up and 'hollier than thou', whereas Nikki was never like that and didn't fit in because everyone knew what her father was like? and because they teased her because her mother was dead? That's how I always imagine them for some reason.**

**xxx**


	24. Chapter 24

**A small bit of badly written smut towards the end of this chapter. I was too lazy to even attempt to make it good.**

* * *

"Nikki I thought you were ill" Leo told her as she walked into the lab, only forty five minutes late "Harry phoned"

"Harry was interfering" Nikki laughed as she took her jacket off and placed it on the back of her chair, putting her handbag on her desk. "I had..pains" she added, knowing that Leo would understand what she meant "Quite bad ones, and Harry took it upon himself to save me from an afternoons work. You men are always interfering"

"Well if they were bad.." Leo murmured, knowing how Janet could get at her time of the month, and how many times he had almost called her work to tell them that she wouldn't be going in. He sympathised with Harry. However Nikki was a strong and stubborn woman.

"They're not always bad" Nikki shrugged, shifting some paper on her desk so it was a bit neater "and anyway I can work through them, it's not a big deal. Most women do it"

"I take it you sorted everything out then" Leo changed the subject, perching himself on the edge of Nikki's desk as she sat down, nodding.

"Yes" she replied "I'm going on the pill, but we practically admitted to each other that we will be having children at some point, but we're not ready yet"

"and you're both okay with that?"

"Yes we are" Nikki nodded, smiling at the older man as she reached over and patted his hand "Thank you for putting up with me crying"

"I couldn't let you be upset could I?" Leo asked quietly "but you're welcome"

"Good, now leave me alone, I have work to do" Nikki giggled and Leo rolled his eyes incredulously.

"Sometimes I wonder who the boss is around here" he replied good-naturedly.

-------

"Harry you have a hospital appointment on Thursday" Nikki told her lover later that evening as she stood in the kitchen waiting for the kettle to boil. Harry was lounging on the sofa watching a crime show that happened to be on, feeling immensely glad that he would be back at work the next day.

"Really?" Harry enquired, having completely forgotten about it. "What time?"

"Half past ten" Nikki responded "It's just a check up, and they'll probably change your cast as well"

"Oh so you're psychic now are you?" Harry chuckled as Nikki leant on the doorframe that connected kitchen and living room.

"Maybe" she giggled "and I'm coming with you by the way"

"Nikki you don't have to" Harry sighed, turning the television off and turning slightly to face Nikki, wincing as his leg pulled. "It's just a check up"

"Yes but I want to go with you" Nikki shrugged "It's not nice going to the hospital on your own"

"Okay" Harry shrugged as Nikki turned and walked back to the kettle as it boiled. Secretly he was glad that Nikki was going with him, he didn't fancy sitting in a hospital all on his own. "Mum rang today"

"What did she want?" Nikki called back as she poured the water into the two mugs.

"To ask if we wanted to go round for dinner tomorrow, I said I'd ask you"

"Of course we can go" Nikki replied quickly, walking through into the living room and handing Harry his mug of coffee, sitting herself down next to him and curling her legs underneath her "You don't have to ask me"

"Yes I do, we're a couple, that's what couples do, they ask each other beforehand"

"I suppose so" Nikki murmured, nodding slightly and leaning over to kiss Harry gently "I'm looking forward to seeing more pictures of you when you were younger"

Harry just groaned, making Nikki giggle loudly and kiss him again.

"and I'll be going shopping tomorrow during my lunch break, I need to buy that dress I saw for the reunion"

"Can I come?" Harry asked eagerly, wanting to see what dress Nikki had in mind.

"No, it's a surprise" Nikki responded "and I'll be buying some new underwear to go with it" she added, a smirk spreading over her lips as she continued "I saw them in Anne Summers"

Harry practically choked on his coffee when he heard this, turning his head to stare at his lover, his eyes wandering over her body as if trying to imagine them on her already.

"and if you're good tomorrow and don't complain about being stuck at your desk doing paperwork" Nikki murmured "I might even buy two pairs and give you a preview, but of course they'll be no touching"

Harry opened his mouth to ask why, then remembered and flushed slightly, feeling extremely disappointed.

"So you're going to torture me by putting your extremely gorgeous body into sexy underwear, but I'm not allowed to touch?"

"Yep" Nikki giggled, kissing him once more "Don't worry, give it three days at the most and then you'll be able to touch all you want"

"You're a cheeky minx" Harry murmured against her lips, blindly placing his coffee on the table next to him as he kissed her, pulling Nikki onto his lap and running his hands over her body, aching for more. "and I love you so much"

"I love you" Nikki nodded, running one hand down his body and cupping the growing bulge in his trousers. Harry hissed and arched into her hand, moaning as Nikki drew her hand away and smirked at him.

"Nikki" he moaned, following Nikki's hands as they undid the button and zip on his trousers, pulling them down his legs and shifting slightly so she could move them more. She then pulled his boxers down as well, wrapping her hand quickly around his hardening cock and squeezing him gently, making Harry moan again, his eyes flickering shut. Nikki continued to tease him, running her fingers up and down the underside of his now fully hard erection, extracting gasps and moans from her lover as she teased him. She then moved so she was kneeling in front of him slightly, knowing that he was already so close to release. Nikki squeezed him again and then licked the underside. "God Nikki...ye.." Harry murmured, arching up into her as she drew her mouth away "Need to.."

"Go on then" Nikki told him, scraping her fingers up him one last time before cupping his balls. She quickly wrapped her mouth around him when her name fell from his lips, swallowing quickly as he emptied himself into her mouth. Nikki gave him one last lick when he was finished, then moved away from him, licking her lips and smirking at her lover as he placed his hands on her hips.

"I told you that you didn't have to do that if you don't want to" he told her, his chest still heaving slightly as he tried to get his breathing under control.

"And I told you that I want to" Nikki countered, pressing her lips to his quickly and then climbing off him, allowing Harry to lean down and pull his boxers and trousers up again.

------

The next day at work, Harry and Nikki hardly saw each other at all. As soon as they got into the building, Nikki was shipped off to a crime scene by Leo and Harry was dumped with a pile of paperwork and told not to work too hard. Nikki had giggled when Leo said this and Harry had just rolled his eyes, sarcastically telling them that he was glad he had come back to work. Nikki however knew that he honestly was glad to be back, he had been doing stir crazy at home without anything to do. She had seen him quickly during her lunch break, stealing a quick kiss and telling him that she was going shopping. Nikki had then given him a knowing wink as she sauntered off, leaving Harry with images of the underwear that she was going to buy.

"So do I get to see what you brought today?" Harry asked his lover as he wrapped his arms around her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder. Nikki turned away from her chest of draws and smirked at him.

"No"

She then extracted herself from Harry's arms and walked across the room and to the bedroom door.

"I'm going for a nice relaxing bath. And before you try, don't bother looking for what I brought. It will ruin the surprise on Saturday. and I won't be that long, we're due at your mother's in two hours"

She grinned at him as he groaned loudly, before walking out of the door and into the bathroom where her nice warm bath was waiting for her.

* * *

**This is definately procrastination against English coursework which is sucking my soul slowly from my body. But if I don't get it done my English teacher will crucify me and flay me alive..yes at the same time. With her, anything is possible.**

**xxx**


	25. Chapter 25

"Are you looking forward to the reunion?" Harry asked later on as he sat up in bed, absentmindedly flicking through one of Nikki's crime books, rolling his eyes as he did so.

"I don't know really" Nikki replied with a shrug as she folded some freshly ironed clothes up and put them away in her chest of drawers. "It'll be interesting to see where everyone is in life I suppose. To see if they got where they wanted to get"

"Did you?" Harry asked, putting the book next to him on the bed and watching Nikki as she opened her cupboard and pulled out a coat hanger, hanging on of her skirts on it.

"Did I what?" she asked absentmindedly as she put the skirt in the wardrobe and pulled out another hanger.

"Get where you wanted to get?"

"Yes" Nikki nodded, turning and smiling at him as she closed her wardrobe and walked over to the rest of the folded up clothes, picking up her t-shirts and walking over to her second chest of drawers. "Well, I achieved by goals that I set back then. Become a doctor, an anthropologist and try to get out of my father's shadow. Everyone at school knew that he was a fraud and a criminal". She slammed the drawer shut harder than necessary and the items on the top of the chest of drawers shuddered with the force. "I was the foreign, weird girl with a criminal as a father. I wasn't even pretty"

"I bet you were gorgeous" Harry shook his head as Nikki closed the bedroom door and then wandered over to the bed "You just didn't want to believe it"

"If you say so" Nikki muttered, climbing into bed and snuggling closer to Harry "and they resented me because I was smarter than them and actually did my work"

"and I wonder where those people are now" Harry told her, poking her in the side gently "I bet you anything that they aren't intelligent, beautiful doctors who can hold their own against even the most stubborn, sexist men and then come out on top"

Nikki just shrugged and tried to turn over, Harry however stopped her from doing so, making her sigh loudly.

"What about your friends?" Harry asked, resting his chin on her shoulder as Nikki shifted slightly.

"I lost contact with them" Nikki shrugged "and I made new ones at Uni anyway"

"Yes" Harry replied dryly "Ones by the names of Kathy and Jennifer"

Nikki giggled loudly and nodded, reaching up to pat him on the cheek.

"They like you and they approve"

"Well I'm glad about that" Harry chuckled, leaning down to kiss her "I'd hate to see what they would do if they didn't approve"

"It wouldn't be pretty, trust me. I've been there before"

"What happened?" Harry asked quickly, wanting to know what was in store for him if Kathy and Jennifer decided that they didn't like him. Nikki eyed him warily before giggling and nodding, moving so she was crossed legged and facing him.

"Okay. We were in our...third year at uni, and there was a guy in our year, he was about two years older than us, and he was pretty infamous for being a man-whore" Nikki grinned at the memory and a small giggle escaped her as she remembered "He decided to ask me out one night, and I knew what he wanted but I didn't want to sleep with him" she made a face "he wasn't even that good looking. So I told Kathy and Jennifer where I was going and they agreed to stay in my room until I got back. I told them that if I wasn't back by half past eleven to come and find me, because this guy didn't take no for an answer. So I went out for a drink, or ten, with him and he was the most boring guy I had ever met. Then he took me back to his room and tried to get me into bed, needless to say I didn't want to go, but he wanted it, so I kneed him in the balls". Nikki giggled as Harry winced almost sympathetically, well it would have been if the man who Nikki had kneed hadn't almost raped her. "He of course let me go, so I ran back to my room and told Kathy and Jen about it, actually I think it took me quite a while because I was laughing so hard at getting one up on him". Harry rolled his eyes, only Nikki could almost get raped, knee him in the balls and then laugh about it with her friends. "Kath and Jen then decided to get a little payback on him, and spread around the campus that I had gone on a date with him, which everyone knew always ended up in sex, and then told everyone that the reason we didn't have sex was because he couldn't get it up". Nikki started laughing loudly as she remembered everything, Harry laughed along with her, shaking his head and vowing never to get on the wrong side of Kathy and Jennifer. "He..didn't..get laid...for..weeks" Nikki choked out through her laughter. "It was brilliant"

"I'll make sure to stay on Kathy and Jennifer's good side then" Harry chuckled and Nikki nodded, patting him on the arm as she calmed herself down.

"They like you, so you're safe. They think you're good for me. Just don't mention our argument if you ever see them, they'll want to know details and.." Nikki waved her hand around and shook her head "Just don't mention it"

"I won't" Harry shook his head and leant down to kiss Nikki as she moved and settled herself under the duvet properly, adjusting her pillows and laying down so she was facing her lover. Harry reached down and gently ran his hand through her hair, smiling as she leant into his touch and sighed. He then lay down next to Nikki, the bulky cast annoying him slightly as he rolled onto his side and wrapped his arm around the woman next to him, pressing a kiss onto her forehead. "I love you"

"I love you" Nikki murmured sleepily as Harry reached behind him and turned off the bedside light, plunging the room into darkness, with only the light from the streetlamps outside illuminating the room slightly.

"Good morning gorgeous" Harry grinned as he limped into the room to see Nikki slowly waking up. She blinked a few times and moaned sleepily, rubbing her eyes and rolling onto her back.

"Morning" she replied, smiling at him and yawning as he made his way over to the bed, his leg already tired from not using the crutches. Harry then climbed into bed and sat up, allowing Nikki to drape her arm around his stomach and rest her head on his chest. "What time is it?"

"Nearly seven o'clock" Harry replied, stroking her hair gently "Time for some more sleep"

"Not tired" Nikki muttered, yawning as she did so.

"Of course not" Harry chuckled, shifting slightly so he was laying down a bit more. He knew that Nikki wouldn't go back to sleep now that they were both awake. "What shift are you on today?"

"Afternoon" Nikki replied "Which is why I'm not jumping out of bed right now to get ready. You're afternoon aren't you?"

"Yep" Harry nodded, leaning down to press a kiss onto the top of her head "You're stuck with me"

"How terrible" Nikki giggled, leaning up so she was resting on her elbow and looking down at him, her other arm laying on his stomach and chest as she traced random patterns.

"I know" Harry sighed dramatically, shaking his head "What am I going to do when I will probably have to work with my beautiful lover all afternoon?"

"Drag her into the showers and have your way with her?" Nikki suggested quickly and Harry raised an eyebrow at her.

"Dr Alexander, are you suggesting that we perform acts of a sexual nature at work?" he asked, putting on his best post voice and making Nikki giggle loudly and nod.

"Why yes I am"

"You are a bad influence on poor innocent little me" Harry grinned and Nikki scoffed and shook her head.

"I don't think so, it's you who corrupted me" she countered, leaning down and pressing her lips to his "and I'm loving every minute of it" she murmured, smirking at Harry before kissing him again.

* * *

**:O Once again I almost sent my english teacher a chapter of this story and not my coursework...I can imagine the embarrassment tomorrow if I hadn't noticed just in time. You can tell which one I open the most..and it's definately not the coursework.**

**xxx**


	26. Chapter 26

"Having fun?" Nikki enquired of her lover the next day as she returned from a crime scene. Harry looked up from the paperwork he was aimlessly staring at and gave her a withering look, causing Nikki to giggle loudly as she walked over to him. She then wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pressed a kiss onto the top of his head. Harry pulled her gently onto his lap and wrapped his arm around her back, holding her securely against him.

"Yeah this paperwork is so interesting" he sighed dramatically "and motivating. You should try some and let me autopsy that body"

"I don't think so Harry" Nikki shook her head, picking up a spare piece of paper from next to Harry's paperwork and raising an eyebrow at it. "Doodling my love?"

"Better than this" Harry replied, motioning to his work with another sigh, smiling when he heard Nikki call him 'my love'. "Can I come and watch?"

"Thought you already did" Nikki whispered, smirking at Harry as he grinned and shrugged.

"Can I watch you do the autopsy?" he amended his question, trying to make it so that Nikki couldn't find anything to make into an innuendo. "Please?"

"No, you're meant to be on desk duty"

"Nikki" Harry whined "Please, I'm dying of boredom. I'll be the next one on the slab and you'll be autopsying me, and I can tell you now that I would have died of..." he was cut off by Nikki's lips on his own, too shocked to respond.

"Now he shuts up" Nikki giggled as he pulled away and Harry rolled his eyes, gently pushing her away from him and shaking his head.

"Fine, go. Enjoy the autopsy. I hope he's decomposed a lot since he was brought back from the crime scene"

"Aren't you lovely?" Nikki laughed as she stood up, stealing one last kiss from her lover before sauntering out of the room and towards the cutting room, well aware of Harry following her every move closely.

"Need any help?"

"Oh my God" Nikki sighed, shaking her head at Leo as Harry hobbled into the cutting room, his canary yellow scrubs hiding the bulky cast on his leg. "What did I tell you?"

"You tell me a lot of things sweetheart" Harry responded with a bright smile "please elaborate"

Nikki flicked a spare rubber glove at him as Leo chuckled, glancing up from the stomach he was looking at and shaking his head at the younger man's stubbornness.

"What can I do?"

"Sit there" Nikki told him, pointing to a stool that was sitting by the side bench.

"Nikki you're so mean" Harry pouted, but did as he was told, sitting down with a sigh and looking from his lover to Leo and then back again. "What did he die of?"

"Boredom" Nikki giggled, looking up and giving Harry one of her blinding smiles, and Harry was very glad that the scrubs were baggy. He just rolled his eyes and shook his head as Nikki went back to the body, examining the skin along the left arm.

"I think you're mocking me"

"Would I?" Nikki asked in mock shock.

"Yes" Harry and Leo answered at the same time, before laughing at the look on Nikki's face.

"Please let me help" Harry begged after a few more minutes of watching Nikki and Leo delve further into the deceased man and compare ideas. "I'm dying of boredom, that or a load of paperwork is going to fall on me and crush me"

"You're such a drama queen" Nikki giggled, not looking up from the clipboard she was writing on.

"How would you two like it if you were banned from autopsy for six weeks?" Harry tried again, trying to worm his way into the autopsy. Neither of the other two pathologists replied. "Exactly"

Leo and Nikki just glanced at each other and rolled their eyes exasperatedly, knowing that they would be getting no peace from Harry until they relented and let him help.

"Harry" Nikki said, looking up from the clipboard and glaring at him "Go away, or you sleep in the spare room tonight. And don't use those eyes on me, you know they don't work"

Harry knew that Nikki was deadly serious, and he didn't want to test her patience and end up sleeping alone in the spare room. So he dejectedly picked up his crutches and hobbled from the room, mock glaring at Nikki as he passed and trying to stop a smile when she grinned at him and turned back to the body.

"You wouldn't banish him would you?" Leo asked when Harry had gone from the room.

"No" Nikki laughed, making Harry chuckle "But he doesn't know that does he?"

"Tell me more about your school" Harry said later that evening as he sat on the sofa watching a documentary about jet planes. Nikki was sitting at the living room table, laptop in front of her as she talked to Jennifer and Kathy, both of whom seemed to be very interested in her sex life all of a sudden. Nikki took that to mean that they weren't getting any, and hadn't in a while, and in true best friend style, mocked them and bragged about hers.

"Sorry?" she asked, looking away from the laptop.

"Tell me more about your school" Harry repeated, glancing away from his show to look at her "If I'm going with you I would like to know some things before I go"

"No you don't" Nikki shrugged, turning back to her laptop and resuming her conversation with her friends.

"Yes I do, you didn't give me much information last time" Harry told her, wondering why it was such a sore subject.

"Well it was a crap school" Nikki shrugged "All the pupils were..well they didn't care about their schooling. And when I joined I was an easy target, you know, new girl from a different country, weird accent, actually liked and wanted to learn"

"You were bullied?" Harry asked quietly, once more turning away from the television and frowning. He knew that Nikki didn't get on with many people, but he never imagined that she was bullied. Nikki just shrugged again and nodded.

"And just because I wanted to learn and I wanted to get a good education and get a good life, they all thought I was stuck up and..thought that I was better than them" Nikki continued, pressing the enter key on the laptop harder than necessary. "Then they found out about my mother, so they bullied me for that, for her dying and leaving me alone with a father like mine. Which thinking about it now is ironic really. Considering that most of them stole, drank, smoked, had sex from about twelve years old. Bloody hypocrites"

"I didn't think it was that bad" Harry told her softly, horrified that Nikki had to go through that "No wonder you ran away"

"I had to put up with years of that" Nikki whispered, absentmindedly playing with the laptop mouse as she spoke. "My father didn't do anything, or notice anything. But I came out on top didn't I?" she asked, looking up at Harry and smiling.

"Yes you did" he replied, smiling back at her and nodding "Oxford, amazing degree, amazing job, amazing lover"

Nikki sniggered when she heard this and Harry grinned at her.

"You've done brilliantly Nikki" Harry then told her, serious this time "Considering everything that you've had to put up with to get here. And at that reunion, when they are all talking about how they have ten children by ten different fathers, you can show them the amazing life you have"

"That's mean Harry" Nikki rolled her eyes and looked back at her conversation with Jennifer and Kathy "Some people just..you know..chose to..."

"Be slags and scrounge of the state" Harry muttered, turning back to the television.

"Harry" Nikki chided loudly, shaking her head in exasperation and looking at him with a disapproving look, not believing that Harry had just said what he had. "Not everyone will be like that, some will have good jobs. I suppose there were people like me scattered throughout the school"

"Oh no" Harry gasped turning towards her and smirking "More Nikki's? One is more than enough for me to handle"

Nikki just threw her mouse mat at him and laughed as he pouted at her.

"Do those pesky women of yours know that you abuse me?" Harry asked, getting up and hobbling over to the table without the need of his crutches. Nikki laughed loudly and tried to cover the screen and minimise the conversation she was having with Kathy and Jennifer. "Hold on, are you talking about our sex life?"

"No" Nikki replied, trying not to burst out laughing at the look on Harry's face. He knew she was lying, but Nikki also knew that he didn't care about her talking about their sex life with her friends.

"I think you are" Harry replied, pushing her out of the way slightly and attempting to get the conversation back again. Nikki just laughed loudly again and tried to push him away, Harry chuckling as he finally got the conversation and quickly read some of it. "So you frequently talk about your sex lives do you?"

"We're women Harry" Nikki laughed "So yes we do, we like to compare"

"Compare?" Harry asked quickly, eyeing her warily "I'm feeling a bit worried now"

"You don't have to be" Nikki giggled, patting him on the face and leaning up to kiss him "You're the biggest" she murmured against his lips, deepening the kiss before Harry could respond.

* * *

**I have two 18th parties this weekend, so I have no idea when I'll be updating again.**

**xxx**


	27. Chapter 27

Harry wondered if what he was doing was wrong, going behind Nikki's back like this when he had no idea how she would react. The night before when Nikki had been in the bath, he had taken Jennifer's and Kathy's numbers from her phone an idea coming into his head. He had phoned them both this morning, asking if they were free after lunch and if they could come round to Nikki's to help him with something. Both of Nikki's friends had been both concerned and bemused, but had accepted. The doorbell rang and Harry jumped up from the sofa, as quick as he could with is leg in plaster, and hobbled to the front door, opening it and seeing Jennifer and Kathy on the doorstep. He told them to come in and led them into the living room, asking if they wanted drinks. They both refused.

"I need your help" he told them, sitting down on the armchair and wincing "and your permission"

"Right" Jennifer drew the word out, shooting a quick glance at Kathy "About what?"

"I want to ask Nikki to marry me"

"Oh my God" "Really?" "When are you going to do it?" "Do you have a ring?" "Can we see it?" Both women gushed at the same time and Harry looked from one to the other in shock as they kept asking questions.

"Wait" he help up his hand and shook his head "So you both think it's a good idea? I wanted your opinions, considering you're Nikki's oldest friends"

"Not so much of the old please Harry" Kathy laughed and Harry rolled his eyes "But we think it's an amazing idea, it's obvious that you're both so in love with each other"

"Thank you" Harry nodded, leaning back on the sofa and sighing "But there's a small problem. A few days ago I told her that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her" he ignored the two 'aww's' he got from the women opposite him "and she told me that it had better not be a marriage proposal because we weren't ready for that just yet"

"She's lying" Jennifer said instantly and Kathy nodded, backing her friend up "Nikki is definitely ready for marriage, she just doesn't know it yet. If you propose properly, I can guarantee that she will say yes already. However, knowing Nikki, if you do it wrong then she will say no. Not to break your heart, just to stop _hers_ from breaking"

"Right" Harry nodded storing this information away "But I would never break her heart" he added quickly, only just registering what Jennifer had said.

"We know that, and you know that, and practically everyone else in this world knows that" Kathy told him "But Nikki has been hurt so many times before and she doesn't want it to happen again, especially with you. So you better do it right and prove to her that you want to marry her because you love her, not just as a random question in passing that you've blurted out"

"I was thinking of doing it after this has come off" Harry motioned to the cast "Take her away somewhere as a thank you present for putting up with me while I've been hobbling around like a cripple.."

"You are a cripple" Kathy giggled and Harry gave her a withering look.

"Now I know why Nikki likes you, you have the same terrible sense of humour" he chuckled, shaking his head as the two women groaned. "as I was saying, I'm thinking of taking her away somewhere to thank her, and proposing then..."

"Nowhere too cheesy" Jennifer interrupted "Not Paris, because that's just asking for trouble" Harry opened his mouth to ask why but the woman ignored him and continued to speak "She's always wanted to go to Rome"

Harry made a mental note, he had known that for some reason, Nikki must have mentioned it in passing.

"and the ring, you know what she likes?"

"Yes" Harry nodded, having seen the perfect ring for Nikki when he had been out shopping.

"and if you buy one that is too expensive and Nikki finds out, she will not be happy" Kathy told Harry "She has a...problem with things like that. She thinks that she's not worth it and gets upset"

"But she's worth..."

"We know" Kathy interrupted, and Harry wondered if it was a female thing, having to interrupt whenever a man spoke. "But _you_ have to prove to her how much she is worth. She'll only believe you. And is it true?"

"Is what true?" Harry asked in confusion at the sudden change of subject.

"That you haven't been whining to Nikki about having sex with her, or the lack of sex because she's on her period"

"No" Harry replied simply, frowning at the women as they exchanged a smile "Why?"

"Because most men don't understand that period means no sex and most women don't even want to talk about sex when they're on their period" Jennifer explained, both women revelling in Harry's discomfort at talk about periods "and that most women just generally feel like crap when they're on their periods and feel ugly and fat and whatever. But Nikki told us that you haven't even moaned about not having sex with her and you've made her feel beautiful anyway"

"Um..no" Harry replied again, quite intimidated by the two women and never having had this talk before. "I realise that she doesn't want any sex and I respect that and she doesn't need my help to look beautiful"

"Yes we know you realise. But you're a man, you have..needs"

"Look, I have been waiting for Nikki for six years. An extra four or five days once a month isn't going to make any difference"

"God you're so perfect and cute together" Jennifer gushed, giggling along with Kathy as they heard Harry say that "You're perfect for Nikki you've done her the world of good"

Harry wondered if it was a good idea to ask the two women around, it was like he was getting judged and weighed up by them, as if they were working out if he was good enough for their friend.

"and anyway it won't be for that long"

"Why?" Kathy enquired and Harry shrugged.

"Nikki's going on the pill"

"Is that wise?" Jennifer asked quietly after a quick glance at the woman next to her "She gets ill from all of the ones that she's tried. Who wants her to go on it? You or her?"

"Nikki" Harry replied "I tried to talk her out of it when she told me that she gets ill but she's adamant about it. How ill does she get?"

"Very" Jennifer told Harry "Like kept in bed for a week ill, it's not nice to see her like that"

"She just doesn't want to rely on other forms of contraception" Harry told them, flushing slightly as he realised who he was talking too. "but I don't want her to get ill"

"and the alternative is forgetting or something going wrong with whatever you are losing and she ends up pregnant" Jennifer stated, observing Harry's reaction closely "Which you wouldn't mind I take it"

"I..I want what Nikki wants, whatever makes her happy and safe" he shrugged, fiddling with the arm of the sofa as he spoke "If she doesn't want children with me yet then that's fine. She told me that she wants children with me eventually, but we're not ready for them yet because we've only just started a relationship"

"Harry you've been in a relationship for years" Kathy shook her head "Just nothing sexual..well, nothing sexual _together _anyway"

Both women giggled and Harry forced himself not to blush too much when he heard that comment.

"Nikki wants children" Jennifer told Harry straight out "and she wants them soon, trust me. We watch her sometimes when we're out and see babies and young children on the street, and she gets a look in her eyes that..I think she's too scared to admit that she wants children now. That's why she's going on the pill, despite how it makes her"

"Scared?"

"Because to be honest, she's not been very lucky with past relationships has she?" Kathy asked him rhetorically "and even some of her longer ones haven't got her to the marriage or baby stage. And here she is, having been in a relationship, a proper sexual relationship, for a short time with you and she already wants babies with you. And coupled with the fact that all her relationships seem to break off in rather..horrible messy breakups, she's scared that's what's going to happen to you two. She sets her heart on a relationship, a lifelong one with lots of little Harry's and Nikki's running around, and then you break up"

"I keep telling her that we're never going to break up and that I want to spend the rest of my life with her" Harry told the two women, wondering what he could do to prove it to Nikki that he meant it. "I want Nikki to believe me"

"That's why you need to propose properly" Kathy told him "and not as a quick question, you need to prove to her"

"Right" Harry nodded, frowning at the two of them "How do you know so much about what Nikki wants?"

"We're women" Jennifer giggled and Kathy chuckled along with her "We know these things, and plus, you're her best male friend, you know lots about her as well"

Harry thought it was wise not to argue.

* * *

**Sneaky!Harry is sneaky!**

**xxx**


	28. Chapter 28

"Four weeks" Harry grinned on the way home from the hospital that Thursday. He had been told that his leg was healing at a good rate, and the cast should be off in four weeks, a week less than planned, which Harry was extremely glad about. "Four weeks until I get my life back"

Nikki just shot him an exasperated look from where she was sitting in the driver's seat and shook her head, rolling her eyes.

"Are we going to yours?"

"Yep" Harry nodded "I need to get some more clothes, and to see if that tux actually fits"

"Harry the reunion is on Saturday, it's Thursday today. Why haven't you sorted it before now?"

"I have two days" Harry shrugged, wondering what the problem was.

"What if you need a new one?" Nikki asked, wondering how Harry had got through life and up to this point. "You've only got two days to get one if you do"

"Nikki, it'll take me about half an hour to walk into a clothes shop, find a suit or tux, try it on and buy it"

Nikki sighed and shook her head, turning the corner and stopping at a set of red traffic lights.

"What happened to shopping around for the best bargain, or looking for different styles?"

"That's what women do" Harry laughed, shaking his head and turning to look at his lover "Men just go in one shop, see what they want a buy it. None of this 'I wonder if it's cheaper in another shop' crap that you women always do"

"We do not" Nikki tried to defend herself but Harry was hearing none of it as he chuckled.

"Yes you do. I've been shopping with you Niks, you went in one shop and found a blouse that you liked, but then you wanted to see if it was cheaper somewhere else, so you dragged me around four other shops before buying it in the first shop anyway"

"I..no...you're lying" Nikki sulked, driving through the green light and trying to ignore Harry's stifled chuckles. "Do you really want to be banished to the spare room?"

"The truth hurts Nikki" Harry laughed, shaking his head as Nikki shot him a playful glare.

Harry groaned as he bent down and picked up his pile of mail from the doormat, before hobbling through to the living room and putting it down on the table.

"Right, you go and do what you need and I'll make us some coffee" Nikki told him, smiling when Harry leant down and pressed his lips to hers, one hand making its way to her hip, pulling her closer.

"We had our first time in this room" Harry whispered against Nikki's lips, causing her to giggle and loop her arms around his neck, pulling him closer and kissing him again.

"Bet you say that to all the women"

"Nope. Just you" Harry replied, kissing her on the nose and his stomach flipping when Nikki beamed at him. "I can't wait to have my cast off so I can have my wicked way with you properly"

"Four weeks" Nikki nodded and grinned at him, pushing away slightly and leaning against the back of the sofa "Then I am all yours"

"You're all mine _now_" Harry reminded her with a smile, hobbling over and leaning his crutches on the sofa, wrapping his arms around Nikki and pressing his lips to the top of her head. "If you want to be"

"Definitely" Nikki sighed, nodding against his chest and closing her eyes, loving the feeling of his arms wrapped around her, his warm body comforting and making her feel safe. "Now you go and do whatever you need to do and I'll go make us a coffee"

"Okay" Harry nodded, leaning down to kiss her on the lips. They kissed lazily for a few minutes, Harry trapping Nikki against the back of the sofa, his hands on her hips, one of Nikki's hands in his hair, the other on his shoulder. She however moved away from him.

"Hurry up" she smiled, pushing him away slightly and patting him on the chest "We have work this afternoon"

"So?"

"So?" Nikki repeated, moving towards his kitchen as she spoke, leaving Harry to reach over and grab his crutches "We can't get carried away"

"I'm sure Leo will understand"

"Sorry we're late Leo, Harry just had to have his way with me on his living room floor?" Nikki giggled as she backed into the kitchen, her grin growing as Harry chuckled. "I didn't think so. Coffee?"

"Please" Harry nodded, turning and hobbling out of the living room and to his stairs, going to collect some more clothes and some other things.

While Harry was out of the room, Nikki took the time to think some things through. The day before, she had got the pill, but had yet to start taking them. There was something stop her though, something about the way Harry had looked at the box when she had thrown it on her bedside cabinet. It was something like sadness in his eyes that had quickly gone when he had looked at her and smiled, before kissing her and walking out of the room. Nikki thought they had sorted everything out and had agreed to her taking the pill, but she knew they were both still having doubts.

"There seems to be a deplorable lack of clothes in my bedroom" Harry chuckled as he walked back into the room, breaking Nikki from her thoughts and making her realise that the kettle had probably been boiled for a good five minutes while she had been lost in her thoughts. "So different from yours. I swear your wardrobe is going to explode if...when you buy more clothes. And you have that chest of drawers, _and _your bedside tables"

"One of which is yours" Nikki commented as she threw him a smirk over her shoulder, turning the kettle on to boil it again "and it's a woman's right to have lots of clothes and shoes"

"and the scary thing is" Harry stated as he wrapped his arms around Nikki's waist, propping his crutches up next to her "that you wear all of them"

"Yes I do" Nikki giggled, leaning her head back to lean it on his shoulder "and as my partner, you have the lover's obligation to buy me new things when we go out"

Harry groaned playfully and leant down to press his lips to the top of her head.

"If my beautiful lover commands" he replied and Nikki grinned up at him, shaking her head, before standing up properly when the kettle boiled.

"I was joking"

"I wasn't" Harry shrugged, pressing his lips onto Nikki's shoulder "Whatever you want Nikki, I'll do whatever I can to get it for you"

Nikki knew he wasn't on about clothes. She turned to him and nodded, trying not to cry when she heard the sincerity in Harry's voice, knowing that he honestly would go to the ends of the Earth for her.

"Sorry" she whispered, reaching up to wipe her eyes as she giggled. "No-one's ever.."

"Ssh" Harry interrupted, leaning down to kiss her softly, brining his hand to her face "It's just us. Ignore what anyone else has or hasn't done or said to you"

"Sorry" Nikki murmured against his lips, the coffee forgotten as she wrapped her arms around his neck and allowed Harry to kiss her, showing her how much she meant to him through one kiss.

"So I'm thinking of taking you away in a few weeks" Harry told Nikki that evening as he lay in bed, watching Nikki walk around the room collecting washing to put in the washing machine the next morning.

"Really?" Nikki asked as she threw one of her blouses onto the washing pile that was sitting on the chair in the corner of the room. "Where?"

"Wherever you want" Harry replied, cocking his head to one side as he watched her. Nikki looked up at him and frowned, only then realising that he was deadly serious.

"Really?" she asked once more, picking up one of her clean skirts and opening the wardrobe to pull out a hanger.

"Yes" Harry nodded, smiling at her as he spoke "As a thank you for putting up with me and looking after me when you didn't have to. And for being such an amazing woman and partner"

"Thank you" Nikki grinned, walking over to the bed and leaning down to kiss him "and of course I had to look after you, you're my best friend. I wasn't going to leave you to fend for yourself. You'd be living on microwave meals"

"I would not" Harry replied incredulously as he poked Nikki in the side, making her giggle as she moved away from him "Now don't avoid the question. Where do you want to go?"

"Wherever you feel like taking me" Nikki told him, turning around and taking her dressing gown off, hanging it on the back of the door.

"Nikki, where do _you _want to go? This is to say thank you to you, and to show how much I love you" Harry followed her with his eyes as she walked across to the bed and climbed in, instantly pulling Nikki closer to him and kissing her on the lips.

"Rome" Nikki replied, laying on her back and reaching up to run one hand through Harry's hair as he leant down and kissed her again. "I've always wanted to go there but never got around to it"

"Your wish is my command" Harry chuckled, making Nikki giggle as she leant up and kissed him, before pulling away and yawning.

"Sorry" she murmured, snuggling closer to Harry as he lay down next to her, closing her eyes and pulling the duvet further up her body. "Night. I love you"

"I love you" Harry nodded, kissing her forehead before laying down a bit more and closing his eyes.

* * *

**Just got home from another 18th party, three of us didn't go to bed until about four this morning, still drinking while everyone was asleep, and I am bloody exhausted...but not exhausted enough to write some more fanfic :D**

**xxx**


	29. Chapter 29

"Aww, don't you look handsome?" Nikki giggled to Harry as they stood in a men's clothes shop. Nikki had dragged Harry out through sheer desperation when he had told her a few hours before that the tux he had was too short for him. It was Saturday, and Nikki had almost shouted at him when she realised there was only nine hours until the reunion was meant to start.

"Yeah" Harry replied dryly, rolling his eyes at the male dressing room attendant who smirked back and shook his head. "Can I get it and can we go now?"

"No" Nikki shook her head "There's still one left to try on"

Harry just stared at her and Nikki grinned back at him.

"You have to look respectable tonight" she informed him, walking towards her lover and straightening the shirt and closing the jacket, buttoning it up and taking a step backwards as Harry attempted to stop himself dropping to the floor and begging her to stop the torture.

"I look respectable in this" Harry whined "Please Nikki, no more. I'm a man, I'm not made for all this shopping"

"Fine then" Nikki replied, nodding as she looked him up and down again "Actually, I like this better than the last two"

"Thank God" her lover muttered, turning around and making his way back into the changing room to change back into his normal clothes. Nikki just rolled her eyes and shook her head. It was his own fault that she had dragged him shopping, if he had got one before now then she wouldn't be torturing him like this.

Harry couldn't help but stare at Nikki as she walked from the bathroom into the bedroom. He was sitting on the end of the bed, attempting to do his tie up when she had entered the room and Harry instantly stopped what he was doing when he saw his lover. She was wearing a knee length leaf green coloured dress, thin straps held it up and it framed her curves perfectly. The front was low cut, but not over the top, and there was a belt mad of the same material as the dress around her waist. Her legs were bare, but Harry had spotted a pair of slightly heeled shoes sitting by the wardrobe, in the same colour as her dress. Nikki's hair was still damp from her shower and fell down her back, some of the damp strands framing her face.

"Nikki?"

"Hmm?"

"You do realise that you are the most beautiful woman in the world, right?"

"Harry" Nikki chided, rolling her eyes "Stop it"

"But you are" Harry told her, knowing that she truly didn't believe him "you" he said as he reached over and grabbed her wrist gently, pulling her closer to him and sitting her on his lap "are so beautiful, and I'm going to tell you that until you finally believe me, and then I'm going to keep on telling you because it's true"

Nikki smiled at Harry and gave him a small chuckle, looking down at her hands in embarrassment. No-one had ever called her 'beautiful' with such sincerity as Harry said it and she still found herself getting embarrassed when he told her. She then looked up at him and saw him observing her closely, his eyes running down her body, taking everything in.

"You approve?"

"Most definitely" Harry nodded, rubbing her leg gently as he placed his hand on the naked skin, smirking as he felt Nikki shiver and move closer to him slightly. "You are going to be by far the most beautiful woman in that hall"

"I don't think so" Nikki shook her head, fiddling with the hem of her skirt "Everyone else at school was prettier than me"

Harry didn't think Nikki's confidence about her looks ran this deep. She always looked so beautiful, even in a pair of tracksuit bottoms and one of his baggy t-shirts. She had a natural beauty that most women didn't have, they just tried too hard to be something they weren't.

"Nikki look at me" Harry told her, reaching up and placing his hand on her cheek and turning her head so she was looking at him. "You are absolutely gorgeous, and you do it naturally. You just...every time I see you, no matter what you are wearing, or not wearing..". Nikki giggled when she heard that and Harry smiled before continuing "you have no idea what you do to me do you? Every time I look at you I wonder what I have done to deserve a woman such as you in my life. Don't you dare think that every other woman is prettier than you, because it's not true"

"Thank you Harry" Nikki sniffed, a few tears leaking from her eyes as she leant down and kissed him, before resting her forehead on his. "You're the only man who has told me that and meant it"

"Those men must have been mad to let you go" Harry whispered, pressing his lips to her nose and making her giggle slightly. "But I'm glad they did, we wouldn't be here otherwise"

"I think they made me realise what men shouldn't be like" Nikki nodded, leaning her head on Harry's shoulder and playing absentmindedly with his still undone tie. "But I've found my unsuitable man, and I'm very happy with him"

"I'm glad about that" Harry chuckled, leaning down and kissing her on the forehead "Because I intend to keep you Nicola Alexander"

"Good" Nikki giggled, wrapping her arms around Harry's neck and kissing him passionately, allowing him to deepen the kiss straight away. Harry tugged Nikki closer slightly, wrapping one arm around her waist and running his free hand up the front of her thigh, wondering what underwear she had brought to tease him with. Nikki however broke the kiss and shook her head, grinning at him as she hopped off his leg and backed away from him.

"Nikki" Harry whined "Please. You've been torturing me for days by making me wonder what that underwear you brought looks like"

"Well you can wait a little bit longer can't you sweetheart?"

"I really can't" Harry smirked reaching over to try and grab her again but Nikki laughed and moved away from him quickly, shaking her head.

"You _can_ wait until later" she giggled "You can just keep those images in your head until later can't you?"

"Nikki" Harry pouted, trying to get her to cave in "Okay, what colour are they?"

"Red" Nikki replied, knowing that Harry was still trying to picture what she was wearing under her dress . "Think you'll be able to cope?"

"No" Harry told her, shaking his head as he spoke, cocking his head to one side as he watched her walk over to the chest of drawers and pick up her hairdryer, before walking over to the mirror. "Just a small peak?"

"Nope"

"It's not a thong is it?" Harry asked her. He had surprised Nikki when he had revealed a few months beforehand, during one of their Friday nights watching a film, that he didn't find thongs attractive at all. Nikki had just stared at him and told him that all men liked women in thongs. Harry remembered rolling his eyes and telling Nikki that not all men were the same.

"Nope" was Nikki's answer again as she turned on the hairdryer. Harry looked her up and down, trying to picture her underwear on her perfect body. He couldn't wait until they got home that evening. Cast be damned, he was having his way with her. "You're staring"

"I know"

"Are you going to do your tie?" Nikki enquired over the noise of the hairdryer, running her free hand through her hair as she did so. Her hair normally dried quickly, which was a godsend in the mornings when she got up late.

"It's too fiddly" Harry pouted, glancing down at the black object around his neck.

"Harry, honestly" Nikki rolled her eyes, turning off the hair dryer and putting it down, walking over to her lover and standing in front of him. She lifted his collar and draped the tie under it, trying to ignore Harry's hands as they settled on her hips, before running down her legs and up the front of her dress. "Must you?"

"Yes I must" Harry nodded, looping two of his fingers over the top of her knickers, trying to work out what the underwear was like. "I don't think we should go to the reunion anymore, let's just stay here and I'll have my wicked way with you right here"

"Right here?" Nikki asked coyly, glancing at the floor where she stood "On the floor?"

"Wherever you want" Harry told her, tugging her back onto his lap and attaching his lips to hers "The floor" he kissed her on the lips again "against the wall" he kissed his way down her neck "in the shower" he kissed her shoulder, pushing the strap down her arm as he did so "maybe in the bed"

"How shocking" Nikki whispered, pushing herself closer to Harry, wondering if she really wanted to go to the reunion. "Ending up in bed"

"Unheard of" Harry murmured against her skin, nibbling and biting at her neck and making Nikki gasp slightly, leaning her head on Harry's shoulder. "I think.." he said, pushing the other strap down her arm "we should stay here"

"No Harry" Nikki told him, making no attempt to push him away when he reached behind her and unzipped her dress. "We have to go"

"Really"

"Mmm"

With a lot of willpower Nikki pushed away from Harry and pulled the straps of her dress up and skilfully zipping the dress up again.

"We can continue this later. I promise" she grinned "and I have to say, you've gone over a week without us having sex.."

"Making love, Nicola"

"That's what I said"

"No you said sex"

"Same thing" Nikki shrugged and Harry glared at her and shook his head. They had had this conversation before. "Okay fine. You've gone for over a week without us _making love_, and you've contained yourself very well"

"You've been keeping score" Harry stated, smirking slightly as he realised what Nikki had been doing.

"Maybe" his lover nodded "It's just something that we've, Jen, Kathy and I have always done. See if our men can go a week without sex..making love, whatever, at the beginning of the relationship"

"and I take it that everyone else failed?"

"Yep" Nikki nodded, turning around and running one hand through her slightly curled hair. "Jen started it in uni to see what our men were really in the relationship for. If they moaned about wanting sex or left us because we didn't sleep with them for a week then..well.." she shrugged and Harry nodded, understanding what she was getting at.

"So I guess I passed"

"Most definitely" Nikki smiled as she turned around, happy to see that Harry was grinning at her. "But we'll be making up for it. I promise"

"I look forward to it"

* * *

**My internet is still a bit dodgy at the moment, so once again I apologise for not uploading/reviewing.**

**xxx**


	30. Chapter 30

"Nikki Alexander?"

Harry saw Nikki visibly cringe when they heard the voice call her name. Nikki downed the rest of her wine and Harry raised an eyebrow, resting his hand on her arm as she shook her head. Turning around properly she smiled, albeit a fake smile, at the woman who was walking over to them. The woman was dressed in a dress that screamed 'I'm better than you, recognise it', complete with a diamond necklace that Harry had the sneaky suspicion was fake. He quickly wrapped one arm around Nikki's waist from behind and stepped a bit closer to her, leaning on his other crutch.

"Mellissa Jackson" Nikki stated, trying not to grimace as the older looking woman held out her hand and Nikki reached over to shake it. "Haven't seen you in years"

"Not since results day" Mellissa nodded, glancing behind Nikki and giving Harry an appreciative glance "What was it you got?"

"All A's" Nikki replied stiffly, not wanting to remember the ridicule that she had got for that. "This is Dr Harry Cunningham, my.."

"Husband" Harry interrupted his lover, clutching her a bit closer when he saw the small smile she gave him "Six years next week"

"Congratulations" Mellissa said and both pathologists could hear the disappointment in her voice. Nikki wanted to hit her. "and you're a doctor?"

"Pathologist" Harry nodded "So is Nikki, but Nikki is head of the department. Home Office"

They both knew that Mellissa knew enough to know that Home Office meant intelligent and important. Something that she obviously wasn't.

"So do you have children?"

"Yes we do" Harry replied, in his element as he heard Nikki giggle slightly and turn away so Mellissa couldn't see. "Five of them. They're away at the moment with their uncle in America. He's a retired Home Office pathologist as well and dotes on them. Nikki sweetheart we'll have to ring Leo to see when they'll be home next week"

Nikki had to bite her lip to stop herself from laughing out loud.

"They're very lucky children" Mellissa ground out, obviously not thinking that the Nikki she knew at school would have all this.

"And what about you Mellissa?" Nikki enquired, wanting to know where the woman in front of her had got in life. She had always been one of the worst when it came to the bullying. "What do you do? Married? Children?"

"I'm..unemployed at the moment" the other woman said "and I'm recently divorced with no children. Have you seen Maria and Tracey? They're over there" she motioned behind her, obviously not keen on talking about her life.

"No I haven't" Nikki replied, not even bothering to look where Mellissa was pointing "I'll have to go and say hi at some point"

"Nikki sweetheart the chef just texted me" Harry sighed, attempting to get Nikki away from the extremely dull woman in front of them "he's wondering what he should get in for the children's return next week and he would like you to ring him"

"Okay" Nikki nodded, biting her lip again and trying not to look at Harry who she knew was also trying not to laugh. "It's been nice talking Mellissa. I'll probably see you around"

"Of course" Mellissa nodded, glaring at Nikki as she and Harry turned away and walked, or in Harry's case hobbled, across the room.

Once they were out of earshot, both pathologists burst into laughter. Nikki clinging to Harry's arm in an attempt to stay upright and Harry with tears running down his face.

"Oh God Harry I love you" Nikki laughed as she straightened up and rested her head on his chest, Harry brining his hands to her hips. "Thank you so much"

"Well I could tell she was one of the horrible ones" Harry shrugged, leaning down to kiss her gently "Thought I would help you out a bit"

"It was nice" Nikki murmured, blushing slightly "Hearing you say all that"

"It was wasn't it?" Harry agreed, gripping her hand in his and making their way over to the bar "Come on you, I'll buy you a drink and you can make up stories to your heart's content"

"Oh shit" Nikki hissed fifteen minutes later as she glanced around the room, trying to recognise people. Some had changed a lot, others not as much.

"What?" Harry enquired, gently resting his hand on her arm as he heard the worry in her voice.

"Over by the door" Nikki told him in a low voice "Tall woman, black hair, so much makeup that if you slapped her it would leave a hand print.."

"The one who looks like a man?" Harry asked straight out, raising an eyebrow at Nikki as she choked on her drink, laughing slightly.

"Yes her" she nodded, edging closer to Harry slightly so she could whisper to him "She was the worst of the lot, with the bullying I mean. She hasn't worn underwear since she was about twelve". Harry sniggered at this and wrapped his arm around her waist, rubbing her hip gently "She was the one who found out about my mother and father first, before spreading it around the school"

"She ridiculed you for being smart as well?"

Nikki nodded and downed the rest of her wine, following the other woman nervously with her eyes.

"Are you alright sweetheart?" Harry asked, sensing how nervous Nikki was just by her body language, and the way she had moved even closer to him.

"Sorry, it's stupid" Nikki smiled slightly "I used to be terrified of her at school. And she was one of those people that even the teachers were scared of, so they didn't do anything"

"Nikki it's alright" Harry told her, pressing his lips to hers, trying to comfort her. "She can't do anything to you anymore"

"I know, sorry"

"There's nothing to be sorry for"

"Nikki Alexander?"

They both turned when they heard a male voice behind them. They turned and Nikki smiled at the man behind them.

"Erik Hammond?" she enquired hesitantly and the man nodded, his floppy brown hair falling in front of his eyes. Nikki grinned and shook the man's hand. "It's nice to see you"

"And you" the man replied, shifting his glasses slightly "You look great"

"As do you" Nikki told him truthfully. He had lost a lot of weight since she had last seen him at school, and he looked pretty handsome. "This is Harry Cunningham, my partner"

"Nice to meet you" Erik smiled at Harry and shook his hand "You've got an amazing woman on your hands here"

"I know" Harry nodded, wondering what the story was between his lover and the man in front of them.

"So what is it that you do?" Erik asked Nikki, directing the two pathologists to a more secluded corner of the room.

"I'm a pathologist. Home Office" Nikki replied, sitting down next to the other man and patting the seat on the other side of her, telling Harry that the chair wasn't going to bite if he sat on it. Harry had just rolled his eyes and sat down. "So is Harry"

"Oxford?"

"Yep, both of us. But we didn't meet until we started working together six years ago" Nikki explained, reaching down and entwining their hands and resting them on Harry's leg. "But it took us that long to sort ourselves out and realise that we love each other. And what do you do?"

"I'm a lawyer" Erik nodded "Cambridge uni. Best years of my life actually, going to that university. A lot better than here anyway" he motioned to the rest of the people mingling about in the room "at least I fit in there"

"I know" Nikki sighed as she agreed with him "Sorry Harry" she apologised, realising she hadn't properly introduced them "This is Erik, he was in my year. Also bullied for being smart"

"and for being fat" Erik added with a chuckle and Harry raised an eyebrow, finding it hard to believe that the stick thin man in front of him was ever the tiniest bit fat. "and for probably being the only male virgin in the entire year"

"So you two weren't..I mean.." Harry asked hesitantly, wondering how to word his question. To his surprise, both Nikki and Erik began to laugh and shake their heads.

"No" Nikki giggled, patting Harry on the arm as she spoke "We were just friends that's all, we didn't even talk about a relationship other than friendship"

"As beautiful as Nikki is" Erik told Harry, reassuring the other man that he wasn't out to reclaim an old girlfriend "and as intelligent as she is, she's way out of my league"

Harry relaxed slightly when he heard this and Nikki rolled her eyes at him before turning back to Erik.

"Are you married?"

"No" Erik replied, shaking his head and smiling "Never found the right woman, or one that will put up with me"

"Kind of like Harry" Nikki giggled "I'm the only one who will put up with him"

"You hurt my feelings" Harry pouted, poking her in the side and making Nikki laugh even louder and squirm in his grasp "The things I do for you"

Erik just observed them for a few seconds, wondering if he would ever be in love with someone like Harry was so obviously in love with Nikki, and vice versa.

"Do any of you have any children?" Erik then asked, looking from Harry to Nikki as they stopped their friendly bickering.

"No" Nikki replied with a shake of her head "Not yet anyway"

"You're.."

"Oh no" Nikki amended her mistake "We're.." she glanced at Harry "talking about having children soon"

The smile that lit up Harry's face made her heart jump in her chest and she knew that she had done the right thing.

"Well congratulations" Erik smiled at the pathologists "Good luck with that"

"Thank you" Nikki nodded, feeling Harry squeeze her hand tightly in his. "Have you talked to anyone else yet?"

"Only William, William Harris. Do you remember him? Black hair, very light blue eyes, he was always good a languages?"

"Of course I remember him" Nikki replied with a small nod, and Harry had a feeling that the small group of bullied children from this school had been friends. "What's he been doing with himself?"

"Why don't you ask me yourself shortie" came a friendly male voice from next to them and Nikki turned her head so fast that Harry thought she might get whiplash.

"Will" she grinned, standing up and allowing the six foot tall man to hug her tightly "You look great" she told him when she pulled back, looking him up and down. He still had jet black hair, not one sign of a gray hair anywhere, and his pale blue eyes were full of laughter as he observed her as well.

"So do you" he nodded, stepping away and pulling a chair over so he was sitting opposite them. "You're still short though"

"Git" Nikki muttered good naturedly as she sat down in her original seat "Harry this is William Harris, the resident expert at languages"

"Oh I don't know about that" William shrugged as he shook Harry's hand.

"Will this is Dr Harry Cunningham, my partner"

"You're a very lucky man" William told Harry as he leant back against his chair "I'm afraid to say that Nikki and I were nothing more than friends at school"

Harry realised that William was probably a ladies' man, he could recognise one anywhere, one who would never settle down with anyone, but someone who all women would still want to have, even for one night. He also knew that there was no danger of one of those women being Nikki.

"However if would have been weird I think" William added and Nikki nodded "and wrong. It would have been like dating my sister" he made a face and Nikki raised an eyebrow, glancing at Erik who was chuckling. "I know I don't have a sister but that's not the point"

Harry chuckled and shook his head, he liked this man. It astounded him how quickly all three of them got back into 'friend mode', even after having not seen each other for over ten years.

"and I wasn't always this dashing" William added with a shrug and a smirk, making Nikki and Erik moan loudly and shake their heads. "I was a weedy little kid with braces. It's funny how people change". He glanced behind him at the group of adults mingling together, most of them having bullied him and the two others. "Or not" he added when he saw a select few people who looked like they hadn't changed at all. "Have you seen Emily Standford?"

"Nope" Nikki replied quickly "I tried to avoid her like the plague"

"Dunno about the plague but she's probably got every STD under the sun" Erik muttered and Nikki chuckled and nodded.

"Anyway, you know how her dad was practically a millionaire and she was always bragging about how she didn't need to work because daddy would give her everything she needed? He lost it all in Vegas, left them bankrupt with about the same amount of money in depts. So she was left with absolutely nothing"

"How come you moaned at me for gossiping about these people, yet you allow William to do it?" Harry asked his lover good-naturedly and Nikki poked her tongue out at him and laughed as he glared at her. The two other men laughed at their antics, both of them knowing that Nikki had found the right person to spend her life with.

"Was she always like this at school?"

"Away from all these" Erik replied, motioning to the room "Yes"

"I'm sorry, I haven't explained something to you" Nikki told Harry, patting him on the leg as she spoke "Because it was a pretty small school, everyone knew everyone's business, and there weren't many of us.."

"Us?" Harry asked

"Intelligent people who would actually get somewhere in the world without laying on our backs and opening our legs" William told Harry as Nikki opened her mouth.

"I don't remember you being this eloquent at school" she told the other man dryly, raising an eyebrow as he shrugged.

"I wasn't a ladies' man at school either was I?"

"Suppose not" Nikki giggled before turning back to her lover "anyway, there weren't many of us..whatever he said. So we hung out together and became friends"

"Isn't that sweet?" Harry cooed, gently patting Nikki on the cheek and making her slap him on the arm, glaring at him playfully "I'm sorry"

"No you're not"

"No I'm not, you're right" Harry laughed, poking her in the side and causing Nikki to shake her head at him and laugh, the other two men chuckling along with her.

"Speaking of the others" Erik said, looking around the room again "I've seen James Ryan and Lewis Jordan somewhere around here. What about we find them, like old times, and go and find a pub to catch up. With Harry of course"

"Oh no, I'll leave him here, it's fine. I'll pick him up later"

"It's nice to know I'm loved" Harry told Nikki as she giggled and stood up, the men following suit and Harry grabbing his crutches.

"I do love you" Nikki nodded, leaning up to kiss him and ruffled his hair "Come on, you'll get on well with the other two, if they haven't changed a lot that is"

"I assure you that they haven't" Erik replied as they walked across the room, ignoring the mutterings when everyone worked out who they were. "They are just like old times"

"Is that good or bad?" Harry enquired as Nikki rolled her eyes.

"Depends" she replied.

* * *

** I thought Nikki should have some nice friendies from school, ones who are like her, and I thought that all the girls would want to fit in with the others, so didn't really hang around with her or like her, so she hung around with the other 'geeks' :D**

**xxx**


	31. Chapter 31

"Didn't you find it weird that you hung around with four boys for most of your teenage years?" Harry enquired as they walked, or in his case hopped, down the road to a pub on the corner.

"Nope" Nikki replied shortly, not missing the looks that her old friends gave her "The other girls did though. There were...rumours"

"About what?" Harry enquired, quite glad to be out of the building that held so many of Nikki's tormentors.

"Nothing" Nikki shook her head looked down the road before the group crossed to the other side.

"Nicola" Harry sighed and the other men looked him like he had lost his mind "What?"

"She lets you call her Nicola?" James Ryan, an accountant from central London asked him as he held the door open for the two pathologists. Nikki rolled her eyes at him as she walked into the warm pub and Harry thanked the man.

"Yes" he replied to the question as they made their way over to a table in the deserted corner of the quite quiet pub. "Something wrong with that?"

"Nikki never used to like anyone calling her Nicola" James explained as he sat down next to Lewis Jordan, a children's doctor.

"Well Harry is different" Nikki told the other blonde haired man, smirking at him as she ruffled Harry's hair again and making him glare at her "He's allowed to, you lot on the other hand are _not_"

"You're still mean shortie" William sighed and Nikki glared at him.

"Don't call me that"

"But it's true"

"It is slightly true" Harry nodded, backing the black haired man up. Nikki turned her glare to him and Harry shrunk away slightly.

"Two words Harry. Spare. Room."

There were 'oohs' from the other men around the table as Nikki smirked at her lover and patted him on the cheek.

"So James, Lewis, what have you been up to?" William asked, slinging his arm over the back of the sofa and leaning back against it. "It's been over ten years"

"Too long" Lewis said and the others nodded "Let's get drinks in first. What does everyone want?"

"Of all the things you could have done with your life, you decided to become an accountant?" William asked incredulously fifteen minutes later after James had told them about his education after they had left school. Harry had to smile when he saw how they all fitted back together perfectly, loving the fact that Nikki seemed at home with them, but comforted by the fact that she didn't have anything other than friendly, even maybe sisterly, feeling for them. The other men had also welcomed him into their little group, wanting to know as much about Nikki as possible, causing the only woman to groan and shake her head. "Of all the things you could have done"

"Well I didn't feel like learning ten million languages and travelling around the world shagging the entire population of women" James countered back just as quickly, making William chuckle.

"Okay it's six languages, and..yeah I have to agree that I have had a lot of women in my time"

"I pity them" James told the other man dryly and William gave him the finger, grinning good-naturedly.

"I pity your ex wife" William added quickly, putting on a mock female voice as he spoke "Oh Jamie, come to bed sweetheart, I'm all ready for you" he then tried to imitate his friend who was trying not to laugh "I can't darling, I have another five pages of numbers to wank over"

The table erupted into laughter when he said this and James shook his head, downing the rest of his beer and slamming the glass in front of the black haired man.

"and for that, you can buy me another drink you disgusting bastard"

"I take it you're all different from when you were at school" Harry muttered to Nikki as James and Lewis moaned about having to move from the sofa to let William climb out. "I can't imagine you lot being bullied for being like this"

"Yeah we've all changed" Nikki replied, smiling at the group of men as she spoke in a low voice "But they're still the same somehow"

"And it's amazing that you've all got brilliant, intelligent, high paid jobs, especially coming from that school"

"No, you just notice it more because of the rest of them" Nikki told him, motioning in the general direction of the hall that the rest of the reunion was in. "You wouldn't notice it anywhere else"

"I suppose" Harry shrugged.

"Hey shortie" William shouted from the bar and Nikki turned to him "You two want refills?"

"Please" Harry nodded and William waved his hand to show that he had heard the pathologist, turning back to the barman and ordering drinks.

"So what's it been like working with Nikki for six years?" Lewis asked Harry when they were all settled back down again with drinks.

"Hell" Harry replied and Nikki glanced at him with a frown on her face "I mean you try working with an extremely beautiful and intelligent woman, spending most days with her, and when you're not working together you're at each other's houses spending time together or out on trips together" he added "I think we've spent more of the past six years together than we have apart?" he asked Nikki and she nodded, smiling at him and snuggling into his side a bit more.

"And how long have you two been officially dating?"

"Just over a week" Nikki replied with a small giggle as she saw the incredulous looks on the four other men's faces. "We were a bit slow on the uptake"

"A bit slow?" Erik asked, running one hand through his floppy brown hair and shaking his head "Bloody oblivious is what I would call it"

Nikki was about to reply when the pub door opened and a group of women walked in. She groaned and leant into Harry a bit more. He looked down at her and frowned, tightening his grip on her waist and pressing his lips to her forehead.

"Bugger" William muttered, looking the women who had walked in up and down "Even I wouldn't do them"

"You're so crude" Erik replied with a chuckle "What happened to the shy boy with braces?"

"He got laid" the black haired man replied as the group of women spotted them and walked over.

"Well look who it is" she grinned nastily at her cronies who all chuckled. Harry grimaced as he realised it was the woman from earlier, the one who he said looked like a man, her cronies weren't anything special either. "The geeks"

"Oh my God you have wounded me" William gasped, clutching at his chest and pretending to be upset "Get lost you slut"

"Excuse me?" the lead woman asked, placing her hands on her hips, trying to look intimidating. "Do you know who you are talking to?"

"The village bike?" William asked cheekily, earning a high five from James who was sitting next to him "Please don't breathe on us. We don't want any diseases please"

Nikki couldn't help but giggle when she heard this, feeling slightly better.

"And what have you been doing with your sad little lives?" one of the other women asked "Did all that work and geekiness pay off in the end?"

Harry was going to let the others fight this fight, as much as he would love to give them a piece of his mind.

"I suppose it did didn't it guys?" William nodded "I'm on about eighty thousand a year, same for everyone else yeah? Around that?"

"Eight thousand pounds?" the lead female enquired stupidly and the people around the table rolled their eyes.

"Yes. As opposed to you and your eighty thousand _men_ a year"

The woman seemed to give up when it came to William and the other men, they had changed too much for her to make fun of. She turned to the only woman at the table and smirked.

"Nikki Alexander. How's mummy?" she asked and Harry tightened his grip on Nikki as his lover tensed "Oh sorry, she's dead"

"Yeah" Nikki shrugged "For quite a few years now, so I think I've got over that by now don't you? Unless you think I'm sad and pathetic like you and never let anything from the past go?" she smirked at the group of women who all looked taken aback "and for the record, yes, my father is a waste of space and a low life, that's why I told him to bugger off a few years ago, so you can't use that against me either. I suggest you do the same and leave me, my friends, and my partner alone"

"Hope you know what you're getting yourself in for" the woman smirked at Harry, wanting one last dig before she left "It was common knowledge that Nikki opened her legs for the four of these" she motioned with her head to the other men who looked outraged.

"How dare you" Erik snapped at her "Nikki never did such a thing, unlike you whores. Now piss off and let us finish our drinks without your stench messing with us"

The group of women muttered to themselves for a few seconds before turning and wandering out of the pub. But the damage had already been done.

"I didn't" Nikki muttered to Harry and he looked down at her after trying to control his anger.

"I know you didn't sweetheart" Harry whispered, running one hand through her hair and pressing his lips to the top of her head "Is that what the rumours were?"

Nikki nodded and reached up to wipe her face, it shouldn't have affected her like that.

"Apparently because Nikki always hung around with four boys, it automatically meant that she was sleeping with all of us for something" James told Harry "Everyone believed it as well. They said that none of us would be getting any anywhere else"

Harry just pulled Nikki closer and wrapped his arms around her, pressing small kisses onto the top of her head and forehead to try and calm her down and show her that he didn't believe any of what those women had said. Nikki nodded against his chest and smiled up at him, before turning back to the other men and smiling at them as well.

"Better?" Lewis asked and Nikki nodded, sitting up slightly and reaching over for her drink.

"Yep. It just..Harry didn't need to hear that. I didn't _want_ you to hear that" she directed the last part to her lover who shrugged and ran his hand through her hair again.

"They're just jealous because you're beautiful and intelligent. While they look like men and probably hang around on a street corner for a living" Harry told her and the other four men laughed loudly.

"Oh we like you" William nodded, reaching around Nikki to pat Harry on the back "You are definitely worthy of Nikki"

"You've been judging him?" Nikki enquired, glaring at the four men who nodded.

"Well we wanted to see if he was worthy of you" James shrugged "but he is, and we can see how terribly in love with you he is"

Harry couldn't help but flush slightly as Nikki giggled and blushed as well. The male pathologist leant down and kissed Nikki on the lips, earning groans from the rest of the men around the table. Nikki decided to torture them for a bit longer and reached up to run one hand through Harry's hair, the other gripping his shoulder as she allowed him to deepen the kiss, their tongues battling for dominance as the other men moaned loudly and protested. Nikki then broke the kiss and grinned up at Harry who was chuckling.

"Just because you are getting laid, doesn't mean you have to rub it in" Lewis moaned and Nikki giggled at him, still absentmindedly playing with Harry's hair. Harry smirked proudly at the other men, loving the fact that the beautiful woman next to him was his, and not theirs.

* * *

**I survived my German oral! How happy am I? :D**

**xxx**


	32. Chapter 32

Nikki had made her old friends promise to keep in touch with her, and they had exchanged numbers, including Harry and the other four men as well. They also told Harry that he better not hurt Nikki because they would come and make him pay. Harry had no doubt about that. But he had just rolled his eyes and shrugged, telling them that he had no intentions of hurting the woman that he was in love with. William had pretended to vomit, and the other three men mocked gagged when they heard this, while Harry laughed at them and shook his head, telling them that they needed to get laid. He was surprised at how well he got on with the other men, and was glad that he had been introduced to them.

It was almost midnight when Harry and Nikki walked through the door of her house, and all they wanted to do was curl up in bed and sleep. However as soon as they were ready for bed, the phone rang. Nikki groaned from where she was already curled up in the bed, and Harry sighed as he climbed in next to her. The female pathologist reached over and picked up the phone, sitting up slightly and running one hand through her hair.

"Hello?" she asked sleepily

"Nikki it's Kathy" the woman on the other end of the phone said, and Nikki knew instantly that there was something wrong with her friend.

"What's wrong?" she asked, sitting up a bit more, all her attention on the phone as Harry tried to pull her down again. She waved him away as Kathy began to speak.

"It's..Duncan" the woman sobbed down the phone "He's..been..seeing another..woman..behind my..back for..six months"

"I'm sorry Kathy" Nikki replied, wanting nothing more than to go and find the man and hurt him for hurting her friend like this. "When did you..um..find out?"

Harry reached up and poked her in the side, getting her attention. Nikki turned and frowned at him as he mouthed 'what?', but she waved her hand and then turned back to the phone.

"Tonight" Kathy replied, her breathing more even as she spoke to her friend "I came home and I found a letter from him, confessing everything. A fucking letter. That bastard wasn't even man enough to talk to me face to face. He's left with her. Was I so stupid that I didn't see it?"

"Oh no Kathy don't say that" Nikki told her friend "No-one could have seen it, especially not Jen because she would have told you straight out"

"I'm sorry for calling you this late" Kathy then told Nikki quietly "I just needed someone to talk to. What do I do now? He was my life, why did I let him become my life?"

"Because you love him" Nikki replied, allowing Harry to pull her down so she was laying next to him, his arm flung over her waist. "and anyway, you still have Jen and me"

"Yeah, but you two have Andrew and Harry. You won't have time for me anymore" the woman on the other end sobbed and Nikki sighed loudly.

"Kathy, we will always have time for you"

"No you..won't.." the other woman sobbed, and Nikki was starting to get extremely worried about her "You'll..get married..to Harry and then..you'll start a..family with him..something I ..could never have and..you'll forget..." she didn't finish her sentence as sobs came down the phone and Nikki realised how much her friend was hurting. She had only ever had Duncan, they had met at uni and got married as soon as they had left. Nikki had no idea how her friend would react to something like this. "I'm sorry" Kathy whispered down the phone, taking a deep breath as she spoke "I'll let you get back to sleep now. See you"

"Kath.."

But the phone had already gone dead. Nikki sighed and put it back on the bedside table, turning back to Harry as he looked down at her.

"What's wrong?"

"Duncan walked out on Kathy" Nikki explained as she draped her arm over his stomach and he pulled the duvet over her body "He'd been having an affair for six months"

"But at the meal, he seemed..there was nothing wrong" Harry replied, pressing his lips to the top of Nikki's head as she shrugged and sighed.

"I'll go round and see her in the morning" she told her lover as she closed her eyes "Have a chat with her"

"Do you want me to go with you?" Harry enquired as he closed his eyes and felt Nikki snuggle closer to her, tightening his grip on her small body.

"No thank you, it's something that's got to be just me and Kathy"

"Okay. I love you"

"I love you"

"Nikki can I...there's something been niggling at me, ever since you got the pill from the doctor" Harry told Nikki the next morning as his lover ran the water in the bath, sitting on the edge as Harry sat on the closed toilet seat.

"Really" Nikki replied, turning her only dressing gown clad body in his direction to show he had her full attention.

"Why haven't you started them yet?"

"Do you want me to?"

"No...yes..I mean, God I don't know Nikki" Harry sighed, running one hand through his hair as he spoke "Do you want to go on them?"

"I asked you first" Nikki countered with a slight glare.

"Nikki we're not arguing over this again" Harry told her forcibly "Because you know that I don't want you to go on them"

Nikki sighed loudly and shook her head, running one hand over the water in the bath.

"You know why I want to go on the pill" she told Harry, turning back to him and smiling at him slightly "I'm scared of us"

"Us?" Harry enquired quietly, wondering if she was having second thoughts about them being together. He felt sick just thinking about it.

"I mean if Kathy and Duncan can split after all this time then..

"Nikki, I love you, I'm in love with you" Harry interrupted "There will never be another woman, I know what you're thinking Niks. Just because Duncan did it, does not mean that I will do it. I would never betray your trust like that and after you how could I look at another woman? Look at you, you're perfect"

"No I'm not"

"Yes you are, to me you are" Harry told her forcibly, reaching over and gripping her hands in one of his on her lap "Now I want a straight answer from you, yes or no, do you want to go on the pill?"

"No" Nikki whispered, shaking her head as she spoke. The side effects made her feel terrible for ages, something that she had tried to get used to at one point, but gave up after a while.

"We can still use condoms Nikki" Harry reminded her "It's not like we're using nothing at all"

"But what if..they're not one hundred percent, and there's always a chance that we could forget"

"Right" Harry agreed, nodding and brining Nikki's hand to his mouth to kiss gently "In that case, if it happens, and if by some _small_ chance that you do get pregnant, do you honestly think I would leave you?"

"Other men would.."

"Am I other men?" Harry interrupted again, more loudly this time and Nikki shook her head quickly. "Good, I would hate to be compared to them"

"But we're not ready" Nikki whispered, looking down at their entwined hands "If it does happen, by some small chance then..." she trailed off and shrugged, not knowing what she would do.

"Would you have an abortion?" Harry asked outright, making Nikki look up at him in shock "Would you kill our baby just because you think we're not ready?"

"_No_" Nikki replied incredulously, giving Harry a disgusted look as she spoke "How could you even ask me that?"

"Then what would you do?"

"Keep it, and try to be the best mum I could" the female pathologist murmured "Do we have to talk about this now?"

"Yes we do" Harry nodded "Because if we don't, we will keep avoiding the subject until it's taboo, and then it won't even get talked about. We need to get it over and done with now so we both know what we want. Because right now we're both confused, yes?"

"Yes"

"Right" Harry smiled "We're getting somewhere at last". Nikki couldn't help but giggle and smile at her lover, he could always make her feel better, whatever the situation. "Now, do you want children with me?"

"Yes" Nikki nodded, her smile growing as Harry grinned in delight "I take it you want children with me?"

"Lots of them" Harry laughed and Nikki flushed slightly.

"Don't push your luck" she giggled and allowed Harry to continue.

"How many couples only use condoms as their form of contraception and don't get pregnant?" he then asked Nikki, gently tugging her off the side of the bath and onto his lap as she sighed and shook her head.

"Okay" she nodded, fiddling slightly with his shirt buttons as she spoke "No pill, but we'll always use condoms?"

"Of course" Harry replied, neither of them even considering any other forms of contraception. "I love you so much"

"I love you" Nikki told him, leaning up and kissing him on the lips, allowing Harry to deepen the kiss and hold her closer to him. "more than you can know"

They kissed lazily for a few minutes before Nikki pulled away and turned to look at her bath, before patting Harry on the chest and hopping off his lap.

"Now go and do something productive while I have a bath"

"I might sit here and watch you"

Nikki just shrugged and undid the dressing gown, taking it off and handing it on the radiator, giving Harry a very nice view of her completely naked body. She smirked at him as he ran his eyes over her body, an appreciative smile on his face as he did so.

"Well I'll leave you to it" he sighed dramatically, picking up his crutches and leaning over to kiss his lover. "Call me if you need help washing your back"

Nikki smirked and climbed into the bath, letting out a satisfied sigh as Harry grinned at her.

* * *

**I am now free from German speaking and English coursework!! This makes me very happy.**

**xxx**


	33. Chapter 33

**Smut in the middle of this chapter in italics**

* * *

"Leo, do you have a moment?" Harry asked the next afternoon as he hobbled into Leo's office, the older man sitting at his desk looking like he could use a break from whatever he was doing.

"This sounds ominous" Leo replied as Harry seated himself down on his sofa and sighed loudly, taking the weight off his leg.

"I'm taking Nikki away in four weeks, to Rome, to say thank you for everything" Harry told Leo who raised an eyebrow and nodded "Nikki knows, but.." he turned and reached over to close the office door, making sure that Nikki, who was in the cutting room, didn't wander through and hear what he was saying. "and I'm going to propose to her"

To say that Leo was shocked was an understatement.

"Propose?" he enquired in shock at what he had just heard. Harry nodded and smiled at the older man.

"Whether she says yes is a different matter all together"

"Are you sure about this?" Leo asked his younger friend who nodded quickly, his grin growing.

"I have never been so sure about anything in my life" he replied, frowning slightly as he spoke "You approve don't you?"

"Of course" Leo nodded a smile spreading over his face "I mean you're perfect for each other, I've been waiting six years for you to be telling me this"

"Really?"

"Of course I have" Leo rolled his eyes at the younger man "It's been so obvious how you feel about each other, I was just counting down the days until you eventually got together"

"But a proposal?"

Leo shrugged and tapped his pen against the desk.

"I knew you wouldn't wait that long, you've wasted enough time, yes?"

"Yes" Harry nodded, fiddling with a stray thread on his trousers "Do you think she'll say yes?"

"I think she will if you do it right" Leo replied slowly, nodding as he did so "Do something special, but not too much"

"That's what Kathy and Jennifer said" Harry muttered "Two of Nikki's old uni friends" he explained to Leo who nodded. "I know what I'm going to do, I just need to get the ring, and actually pluck up the courage to do so. Even thinking about it makes me nervous"

"You'll be fine, just be yourself"

"What if she doesn't want to marry me?"

Leo shook his head at Harry, wondering why he had such doubts. Of course Nikki wouldn't say no. He told this to Harry but it didn't seem to calm his nerves at all, even though the proposal was weeks away.

"Right, Nicola, I'm taking you out for dinner tonight" Harry told Nikki as he hopped into the changing room where Nikki was getting back into her normal clothes after autopsy. "Where do you want to go?"

Nikki was taken aback slightly, not because Harry never took her out, because of Harry's forwardness of the situation. However, a small smile spread over her face as she sat down on the bench and reached for her boots, feeling Harry sit down behind her.

"There was a pub, a few years ago" she explained without looking around at him, knowing he would understand what she was going on about "We had our first kiss there"

Harry smiled to himself and nodded, even though Nikki couldn't see. He had very fond memories of that pub, however he had blocked out everything that had happened afterwards, preferring just to remember the hours that he and Nikki had been in that pub, just the two of them, and that kiss.

"You want to go for dinner there?" Harry enquired, turning slightly so he could now see his lover, who was zipping up her long black leather boots, making Harry's mind go into overdrive as he imagined her wearing them, and only them. He felt his trousers tighten slightly and had to bite his lip slightly to stop himself moaning.

"Yes please" Nikki nodded, turning her body so she was facing him, legs crossed on the bench and a large smile on her face "We can continue where we left off, you kissing me, but without any stopping"

_"How will we eat?" Harry asked cheekily and Nikki rolled her eyes and shoved his arm, her eyes glancing to his crotch and her smile growing. Harry knew Nikki had seen his reaction to her, she always knew when he was hard. Nikki took a sneaky glance at the door, both of them knowing that it was still unlocked. Harry opened his mouth to say something, but all that came out was a quiet moan as Nikki pressed her hand up against his crotch, moving so she was kneeling in front of him, kissing him fully on the lips as her hand massaged him. "Nikki" he moaned into her mouth when he felt her undoing his belt and jeans, pushing her hand into his boxers and wrapping her hand around him, making Harry arch up into her slightly, a whimper falling from his lips. Nikki was only going to give him release this way, but when she felt how hard he was, that plan went out of the window. She quickly climbed off him and walked over to the door, locking it and shutting the blind, before checking that the other door was locked and made her way to her locker. She quickly opened it and brought out her bag, fishing around in it until she found what she was looking for. Nikki then walked back over to Harry stood in front of where he was sitting and pulled his trousers and boxers down his legs, running her fingers over his fully hard erection and making him buck up into her. She then opened the condom packet and rolled it onto him, making sure to do it extra slowly. Harry reached out and pushed Nikki's skirt and tights down her legs, her underwear following quickly. Nikki stepped out of them and then straddled Harry, pressing him into herself quickly and making them both moan loudly, clutching at the other to try and get as close as possible. Nikki quickly set the pace, Harry matching her thrusts with his own, their panting and moaning the only sound in the room, both of them trying not to be too loud in case someone was walking by. Harry knew how loud Nikki could be during sex and when he felt her tighten around him a few minutes later, he was glad that she had her head buried in his neck, her loud cry of his name muffled. He then arched up into her, her name falling from his lips in a loud moan as he thrust into her one more time. They sat like that for about a minute, trying to control their breathing, and get their brains back into sync with their mouths._

Nikki started chuckling into Harry's neck, before moving away from him slightly and pressing her lips to his, both of them kissing lazily for a few more minutes.

"You..bring condoms..to work" Harry stated through the kiss and Nikki giggled as she broke away and nodded.

"For moments like these" she replied, kissing him again and climbing off his lap, drawing a disappointed moan from the both of them. Harry just rolled his eyes and smirked at her. "Don't worry, there are plenty more in there" Nikki grinned at him.

"It hasn't changed" Nikki told Harry with a grin as they walked into the pub later that evening. "Come on hobble" she added and led them over to the table that they had occupied last time, thankful that it was empty.

"You still like it?" Harry asked hopefully and Nikki nodded enthusiastically as they sat down, pushing a stray piece of hair behind her ear.

"Of course I do" Nikki flushed slightly, that had nothing to do with the warm fire next to them "We had our first kiss right here"

"_Right_ here?" Harry enquired with a cheeky grin, obviously knowing the answer, before leaning over and kissing Nikki softly, feeling her smile into the kiss as she reached up and placed one hand on his cheek. "I wish things would have gone differently last time" he murmured as he drew back slightly, but Nikki kissed him again, silencing him. "I'm sorry"

"You don't have anything to be sorry about" Nikki told him forcibly when she drew away and Harry rested his forehead on hers, gently playing with a strand of her hair. "Nothing about what happened was your fault"

"But I neglected you afterwards. If I had carried on and.."

"Harry, there was no way you could have just carried on with me when your ex had just died" Nikki interrupted "I would have felt like a heartless bitch anyway, for being with you while she lay in the morgue"

"You're not a bitch, don't call yourself that" Harry told her instantly, kissing her gently again "But afterwards, I remember you getting ready for that birthday party, and all I wanted to do while you were getting dressed was to tell you not to go, and to come home with me. But I couldn't"

"Why?"

"Because I was scared that you'd say so, and that our friendship would have been ruined" Harry replied, smiling as Nikki looked up at him and kissed him once more.

"But we're together now, and that's all that matters, right?"

"Of course" Harry nodded, reaching for the menu "Now what do you want for dinner?"

"Something with chicken" Nikki told him, allowing him to wrap his arm around her shoulders as she looked at the menu.

"I might have the steak, medium rare" Harry muttered and Nikki made a face. "What?"

"If you eat that you are not kissing me" she laughed, knowing that she would never ban Harry from kissing her, or tell him what he can and can't eat. "It's practically still mooing"

"It's nice" Harry pouted, poking her in the side and making Nikki giggle and try and move away from him slightly "You're lucky I don't have it blue"

Nikki made another disgusted face and shook her head.

"I'll stick with my chicken, mash potato and veg" she told him with a smile, relaxing a bit more as he continued to gently play with her hair. "At least they cook the chicken here"

"I can cook chicken" Harry told her loudly, earning an incredulous look from his lover "What?"

"It's okay to have your steak still mooing, but I don't really like my chicken still laying eggs" Nikki giggled and Harry laughed at her, shaking his head and turning back to the menu "I could have got food poisoning from that, then where would you be?"

"Feeling very guilty and repentive" Harry replied immediately, tapping the menu as he spoke "I'm having the steak with veg. Wine?"

"Red please" Nikki nodded as Harry stood up, grabbing one of his crutches "and chicken, mash and veg"

"Coming right up beautiful"

Nikki smiled at Harry as he walked over to the bar to order, wondering what their life might have been like if the incident with Penny hadn't had happened. They might have been married with children by now. The thought of being pregnant with Harry's child sent a shot of longing and excitement through her, but Nikki pushed it down. They weren't ready yet.

* * *

**So...three or so more weeks of Harry in a cast?..or straight to Rome and what happens there?..yeah I know this story is meant to be about Nikki helping Harry while he's injured but, you know, whatever :)**

**xxx**


	34. Chapter 34

**Warning? Drunk!Nikki is a tiny bit vulgar. Dunno if any of you want warning for that, it's not that bad but here we go, just a warning for you.**

* * *

Harry couldn't help but smirk as he heard Nikki sing along, drunkenly, to the radio on the way home from the pub. She had drunk an entire bottle of red wine to herself, and was feeling the side effects. As long as she didn't vomit in his car Harry was fine with it, drunken Nikki amused him. Normally her singing was very good, she sang along with the radio sometimes, flushing and stopping once she realised that Harry had heard her. Pulling up outside Nikki's house, he stopped the engine and the radio instantly went off. Nikki frowned at it in confusion, before reaching over and pressing all of the buttons, as if wondering why it had gone off.

"Harry" she whined "Your radio is broken, make it work"

"It's not broken Nikki" Harry told her as he climbed out of the car and quickly made his way round to Nikki's side, as quickly as his crutches could make him, opening the door and helping her out, chuckling to himself when she stumbled slightly into his arms.

"You smell nice" she giggled into his chest and Harry rolled his eyes as he locked his car door, before gently guiding Nikki down the garden path, hobbling closely behind her on his crutches. He then reached up and opened the door, allowing Nikki to stumble in first before he followed her. Harry had barely closed and locked the front door, before Nikki had attached her lips to his, pressing him back against the wall behind him. She ran her hands through his hair as Harry deepened the kiss, knowing that they couldn't go any further when Nikki was in this state. He wouldn't let himself do that to either of them. "Take me to bed Harry" Nikki grinned as she pulled away, stumbling slightly as she backed down the hallway, stopping just before she hit the stairs. "Come on" she slurred, beckoning him to her. It took all of Harry's control not to do so and he shook his head, making his way slowly towards her on his crutches.

"Nikki you are drunk" he told her, trying to ignore her as she ran one hand down his chest and lower, rubbing him through his jeans, that infuriating smile on her face. "I am not making love to you when you're drunk"

"Harry please" she pouted, pressing harder and making Harry whimper "You want me" she whispered as she leant up and brushed her lips against his "I can feel it. I want you as well Harry" she licked her lips and leant a bit higher, brushing her lips against his ear "I'm already so wet for you" Nikki murmured.

"Nikki" Harry whispered, shaking his head as he tried his hardest to resist the beautiful, albeit drunk, woman in front of him. He didn't want to take advantage of her state. "I'm not having drunken sex with you"

"But you love me" Nikki pouted, moving away from him slightly and draping her arms around his neck "Don't you?"

"Of course I love you" Harry sighed, rolling his eyes as Nikki continued to pout at him, her deep brown eyes pleading with him "and that is why I'm not having drunken sex with you. Now come on, you're going to bed"

Nikki giggled loudly as he discarded one crutch and took her hand in his now free one, limping up the stairs and dragging the drunken Nikki behind him.

"Thought you weren't going to have sex with me"

"I'm not" Harry replied, directing her into their bedroom and closing the door behind them "Now on the bed"

"Really?" Nikki asked coyly, sitting herself on the bed and licking her lips, making Harry's trousers tighten again as he remembered what she could do with that tongue. "Well I think you should"

"And I think we shouldn't" Harry chuckled, taking his tie and shirt off and throwing them onto the washing pile.

"I think we should have a baby"

Harry almost choked on his own spit when he heard Nikki say that, so bold and demanding. He turned and looked at her, seeing her staring expectantly at him, a drunken smile on her face as she giggled.

"What?" he whispered, wondering if the saying "a drunken man's words are a sober man's thoughts" really was true here. He couldn't help but hope so.

"I think we should have a baby" Nikki repeated with another giggle, laying back down on the bed and turning over so she was propped up on her elbow. "Me and you, a baby of our own. Or babies if you want lots of them. I'll give you lots of babies if you want Harry" she grinned at him and Harry felt his heart pounding in his chest.

"Nikki you..you said we weren't..ready" he stuttered, wondering why Nikki was the only person who could do that to him, even when she was extremely drunk.

"I lied" she shrugged, pouting at him "You want babies with me don't you?"

"Of course" Harry nodded, walking over to her without the aid of his second crutch, and wondering if undressing her to put her pyjamas on was a very good idea in her state, she might take it the wrong way. "But you said..."

"Harry" Nikki interrupted with a loud whine, beckoning him to come closer "Please"

"We'll talk about this when you're sober"

"Buuuuuuuut" Nikki drew out the word, giggling as Harry unzipped her boots "When I'm sober, I think I will give you a very different answer. I don't know, will I?"

"Yes" Harry replied simply as he pulled the boots off and put them on the floor next to the wardrobe, before reaching over and picking Nikki's pyjamas up, and some clean underwear.

"Sooooo what do you think about us having a baby?"

"I think it would be the most amazing thing in the world" Harry told her truthfully, pulling her skirt and tights down her legs, making Nikki giggle drunkenly at him and flick her hair over her shoulder.

"So why don't we do it?"

"Because you said that we have to wait because we're not ready" Harry told her, reaching down and lifting her blouse over her head and throwing it onto the washing pile with her skirt and tights.

"Hmm, maybe sober me was too scared to tell you what I really want" she mused almost to herself, raising an eyebrow at Harry as he unclipped her bra and took it off her "I don't see how this is fair" she slurred, reaching down and going to undo his belt.

"Nikki" Harry warned, gripping her hands in his and pinning them on the bed above her head "Stop it"

"I love it when you're forceful with me Harry" Nikki whispered to him, licking her lips and making Harry want to take her there and then. "You should do it more often, when your leg is better of course and then you can really fuck me, hard"

Harry had to bite back a whimper and stop himself from cumming right there when he heard those words coming from Nikki's mouth. They would have to do a lot of experimenting when his leg was better. With a lot of self control, Harry dragged himself away from his lover and picked up her pyjama top, pulling it gently over her head and gasping slightly when she pulled him down onto the bed, wrapping her arms around his neck and attaching her lips to his. For a few seconds, as one hand wandered down her body and to her underwear, he forgot that Nikki was drunk, but it was the taste of sweet wine in her mouth that brought him back to reality. He sprung away from Nikki like she burnt, and gripped onto the side of the bed to steady himself as she stood up. Nikki looked at him, drunk and confused, licking her lips slightly.

"Nikki, you're drunk" Harry told her, forgoing the new underwear, deciding that it wasn't safe to take Nikki's off, and putting her pyjama bottoms on her. "I refuse to have sex with you, make love to you, fuck you or whatever else it is that you want me to do, while you're drunk"

"Fine" Nikki snapped, crawling up the bed and climbing under the duvet covers "Don't wake me up when you come to bed"

Harry sighed and rolled his eyes, a sudden surge of fear running through him as he wondered how many men had taken advantage of Nikki in her drunken state. She wasn't exactly saying 'no' was she. He also had to wonder how Nikki felt the next morning when she woke up and found a random stranger in her bed. Harry shook his head and ran one hand through his hair, limping over to the wardrobe where his crutch was leaning, he was there now, and he would make sure that nothing like that ever happened to Nikki again.

* * *

**Sorry I haven't updated lately! But school's been catching up with me, coursework etc etc, but that's over now. :D**

**Oh and yes it is possible to drive with a cast on your leg, I didn't think so until I saw it done, but it is.**

**xxx**


	35. Chapter 35

When Nikki woke up, she wondered who had hit her repeatedly over the head with a very heavy object. Her head felt like it had been cracked open at some point in the last few hours. She opened her eyes slowly and groaned at the bright light seeping through her curtains, the brightness assaulting her eyes. She moaned loudly and rolled over in the bed, the action doing nothing for her banging headache. Nikki tried to remember the night before. She had gone with Harry to the pub where they had shared their first, albeit unofficial, kiss, and she had drunk a whole bottle of wine. Nikki moaned again as she remembered, wine always made her drunk quicker than every other alcohol. She opened her eyes and winced, forcing herself to keep her eyes open, she sat up and looked down at herself, she was in her pyjamas. That was something, she thought. Then she wondered how she had got into her pyjamas in the first place. Before she could think about it anymore, the bedroom door opened and Harry hobbled in carrying a mug of coffee in one hand, his crutch in the other.

"Good morning" he told her cheerfully, making Nikki mumble something that sounded like 'bugger off', but he ignored her and placed the coffee next to his lover on the bedside table. "How are you feeling?" he asked as he leant down and kissed her on the forehead.

"Like someone hit me over the head with a crowbar" Nikki replied and Harry chuckled.

"I can assure you that that never happened" he told her.

"Did you dress me?"

"Yes" Harry nodded, sitting on the bed next to her "You were quite forward as well"

"Oh God" Nikki whined, burying her face in her hands "Please tell me I didn't. God I bet I acted like such a whore"

"What have I told you about calling yourself derogatory names?" Harry asked her rhetorically, poking her in the side "Well you did come on to me quite strongly, but you're my partner, you're allowed to"

"What else did I say?" Nikki mumbled through her hands "Actually, do I want to know?" she asked, running one hand through her hair as she looked up at her lover "Go on, tell me"

"You, um...you told me that we should have a baby" Harry told her quietly and Nikki flushed a deep red. "and said that sober you also wants a baby but are too scared to tell me"

Nikki's flush deepened even more and she buried her face in her hands again, letting out a loud moan. Harry just smiled and draped his arm over Nikki's shoulder, leaning down and pressing his lips to the top of her head.

"There's coffee for you" Harry changed the subject completely, knowing that talking about children would only get them into an argument this early in the morning.

"Thank you" Nikki nodded, sitting up and accepting the mug from Harry, moving closer to him slightly. "I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable last night"

Harry just chuckled and shook his head.

"Don't be stupid" he told her, leaning down to kiss her gently on the forehead, and then on the lips, before taking the mug from her hands and taking a sip

"Hey"

"You love me, you can share" Harry told her and Nikki poked her tongue out at him "Our tickets have been confirmed"

"Tickets..oh, for Rome?"

"Yep" Harry nodded, handing her the mug again and shifting so both legs were on the bed and he leant back against the headboard, his arm still around Nikki's shoulders as she moved with him. "Three weeks until we go, that gives you enough time to pack doesn't it?"

Nikki just gave him a withering look and slapped his arm none too gently.

"You said a came on to you" Nikki said later on when Harry pottered around the bedroom, putting some of his clothes away, the female pathologist was still sitting up in bed, watching him. "Why didn't you say yes?"

"Because you were drunk" Harry replied, like it was the most obvious thing in the world "I would have felt like.." he stopped and Nikki nodded at him to continue "it would have felt like I was raping you"

"Why?" Nikki asked softly, turning over in the bed so she was laying on her side, facing him.

"Because you were drunk and I was meant to be looking after you, not taking you to bed, and you had no idea what you were doing"

"But it's you" Nikki responded with a smile, patting the bed next to her. Harry sat down next to her and entwined their hands "I trust you with my life, with everything"

"Exactly" Harry exclaimed "I would have betrayed that trust"

"Don't be stupid Harry" Nikki giggled, moving over so she had her head on his lap, Harry's hand moving up so he could stroke her hair gently. "I wouldn't have been angry"

"I would have been just like those other...men" Harry told her quickly, spitting out the last word as if it hurt him. "The ones who took advantage of you before now"

Nikki smiled to herself, glad that Harry understood that she didn't honestly want to sleep with all the men she had taken to bed with her, alcohol and loneliness were most often the factor.

"Anyway" Harry continued, looking down at Nikki and smirking at her even though she couldn't see "I'd like you to remember everything"

Nikki just giggled loudly and closed her eyes, sighing contentedly as Harry continued to talk to her and stroke her hair.

Harry was very conscious of the jealous looks he was getting as he and Nikki sat in the park that afternoon, it being their day off work. They were both sitting on a blanket laid out across the grass, various food items scattered around them. Harry was sitting up, his legs outstretched in front of him, and Nikki was laying with her head on his lap, staring up at the sky and at him. He could see the looks that he was getting from various men as they walked along, and also the ones Nikki was getting from them as well. She was wearing a yellow, mid thigh length dress and sandals, her hair loose and in its natural curly form, which Harry exploited and ran a strand of her hair repeatedly through his fingers.

"You know I haven't done this since I was a child" Nikki told him suddenly, breaking a comfortable silence "Just come to the park and sat doing nothing"

"When was the last time?"

"We used to skip school, William, Erik, James, Lewis and I, and we used to go to the park"

"Naughty girl" Harry chuckled and Nikki smirked up at him "Might have to punish you"

"I look forward to it" Nikki replied with a grin, before continuing her story "We used to just sit and talk, or play games or something. It was nice and peaceful, there wasn't any bullying or segregation or anything like that"

Harry felt sadness well up inside him every time Nikki talked about her school days or childhood. He had expected someone like his amazing Nikki to have had an amazing upbringing and school life, but she hadn't. He hated the people who had made her feel different and weird, they just didn't understand.

"Dad used to bring me to the park" Harry told Nikki as she reached up with one hand and entwined their hands together. "Before he got ill, he used to play football with me. Just me and him, while mum was..doing housework I imagine, I don't know"

Nikki smiled at the image of a little Harry playing football with his dad, the laughter of the children in the play area across the park reaching her ears.

"Maybe you can bring our children here to play football in a few years" she told him quietly, fiddling with the belt of her dress and not looking at Harry.

"I'd love that" Harry replied, so quietly that Nikki had to strain to hear him. She looked up at him and smiled, her whole face lighting up. Nikki saw his eyes flicker to her stomach, then quickly down at the blanket next to them. She knew he was imagining her pregnant, she could read him and his thoughts like a book, just like he could do to her. Nikki was still confused about them having a baby so soon. She knew that she wanted children with Harry, she was getting extremely broody to the point where every time she saw a baby when they were out, she just wanted to grab Harry, take him home, and make sure he got her pregnant. The other half of her was telling her to wait to see how things went between them and to get themselves settled as a couple first. At that moment, her broody side was winning.

* * *

**Two weeks until I am free from school forever! :D So anyway, should I write about their time in Rome or not?**

**xxx**


	36. Chapter 36

"Did you imagine yourself with children?" Nikki asked suddenly, breaking Harry out of his own musings about having children with the woman on his lap. "When you were younger I mean?"

"No" Harry replied truthfully, shaking his head and continuing to fiddle with a strand of her hair "I was more of a career man really, the thought of having children terrified me. That's why I reacted the way I did with Penny, plus I didn't really want children with her in the first place, I didn't love her. I thought I did, but I was young, what did I know?. But then I met you and over the years that changed"

"I'm glad about that" Nikki smiled at him "I love you"

"I love you" Harry told her, brining her hand to his mouth so he could kiss it softly "We should do this more often. Just come to the park and sit and relax together"

"I like it" Nikki nodded, closing her eyes and sighing contentedly, shifting slightly into a more comfortable position, but still laying on her back on the blanket, her head on Harry's lap. "It's peaceful, no pressure from anyone, just us"

"That was very philosophical Dr Alexander"

"You just ruined the moment" Nikki told him dryly, opening her eyes and grinning at him as he smirked down at her. "But I love you anyway"

"and I love you"

"Damn it" Harry hissed as he hobbled into the bathroom where Nikki was relaxing in a bubble bath, book in her hand.

"What is it?" she asked as she turned her head and watched her lover hobble his way over to the closed toilet with one crutch and sit down heavily. "Your leg?"

"The damned cast" Harry replied moodily, throwing the crutch to the floor and turning towards her "I can't wait to get the bloody thing removed, it's ruining my life"

"I wouldn't go that far" Nikki chuckled, turning back to her book and missing Harry incredulous look.

"Nikki" he said loudly "It's stopping me from making love to you properly, we've been together three times in the past three weeks since we've got together. I want to be able to please you"

"Harry calm down" Nikki giggled, turning away from her book again to look at the very frustrated Harry "Once the cast is off, we can spend as much time in bed as you want, and you can make love to me as much as you want as well. Trust me, I'm looking forward to not being able to walk the next day"

"You're not frustrated?" Harry asked hopefully and Nikki shook her head, looking back at the book.

"Nope, and anyway, with all the built up tension it should be even more amazing. Maybe we should wait until we're in Rome until we have se.." she saw Harry's look and corrected herself "make love, again"

"How romantic of you Dr Alexander" Harry joked, leaning over and pressing his lips to hers as she giggled "I like that idea very much"

"That's why I suggested it" Nikki told him, bookmarking her page and handing it to him. Harry took it and glanced at the cover.

"Angels and Demons"

"Read it, it's good. Addictive actually" Nikki stated, reaching over to grab the body wash on the side of the bath.

"Maybe, after you" Harry told her, watching as Nikki grabbed the body wash and looked up at him.

"Wash me?" she asked, a coy smile on her face as Harry raised an eyebrow "Well we said no..making love, we didn't say anything about no touching did we?"

"You smell like coconut" Harry stated later on as they sat on the sofa, curled up with Gladiator on, Nikki's turn to chose the film of course. He pressed his face into her hair and breathed in her shampoo, mixed with her unique smell.

"I should do" Nikki replied, not taking her eyes off the screen "It's coconut shampoo, I'd be a bit disappointed if it smelt like chocolate" she paused and smirked "Unless the chocolate was covering me and you were licking it off"

Harry was taken aback slightly by Nikki's boldness, but a smirk to match hers formed on his face as she turned and smiled at him.

"or cream, I'm not fussy"

Harry leant down and kissed her, distracting her from the film as he pulled her onto his lap so she was straddling him. Nikki deepened the kiss and their tongues fought for dominance as Nikki ran her hands through Harry's hair, pressing herself up against him and moaning as one of Harry's hands made its way up the front of her pyjama top, running over one of her naked breasts and making her arch into him slightly.

"Kinky minx" Harry muttered through the kiss and Nikki smiled as they continued to fight for dominance.

"You have no idea"

"You'll have to show me" the male pathologist whispered as he broke the kiss and with some effort, extracted his hand from Nikki's top, both of them breathing heavily.

"Only if you show me yours" Nikki responded, resting her head on his and licking her lips as Harry nodded, a smile on her face "Every one of them, and I'll tell you, or show you, every one of mine, no holding back from each other"

"I promise" Harry nodded, kissing her on the nose and then on the mouth again, chuckling as Nikki yawned and apologise. "Even the talk of kinky sex isn't keeping you awake"

"Sorry" Nikki apologised again "It's all the fresh air I've had today"

"You go to bed and I'll lock up down here" Harry told her, reaching over for the remote and turning the DVD off, patting her bum as he did so and making her giggle slightly. "Go on, I'll see you upstairs"

"Okay" Nikki nodded, leaning down to kiss him as she climbed off his lap "I love you"

"I love you" Harry responded as Nikki turned and walked out of the room.

By the time he was ready for bed, the house locked up and upstairs in the bedroom half an hour later, Nikki was already fast asleep, laying on her side facing his part of the bed. Her blonde hair was splayed over the pillow and the duvet was pulled up over her body, a small smile gracing her face in her sleep. Harry didn't think he could fall in love with Nikki even more than he already did, but when he looked at her like this, he knew that wasn't true, there was something about her that made him fall in love with her a little more every day. Climbing into bed, he carefully wrapped his arms around her so not to wake her up, and pressed a kiss onto her forehead, before closing his eyes and falling asleep.

The next thing Harry knew he was being gently shaken awake, his name being muttered from beside him. He opened his eyes and saw Nikki standing beside the bed, shaking him gently, her hair in disarray.

"What's wrong?" he asked instantly, sitting up slightly as Nikki bit her lip and mumbled something "Sorry?"

"There's a spider in the bathroom" Nikki murmured, looking down at the bed in embarrassment, a flush rising across her cheeks that even Harry could see in the darkness. "It's huge, can you move it please?"

She sounded so much like a scared little girl that Harry took pity on her, chuckling under his breath as he climbed out of bed and grabbed one of his crutches, glancing at the time as he did so. Quarter to three in the morning.

"Come on you" Harry told his lover, feeling her trailing behind him as he walked out of the room and across the hall into the bathroom. "Where is it?"

"There" Nikki pointed to the wall just above the toilet "It's huge"

"Nikki the poor thing is more scared of you than you are of him"

"How the bloody hell do you know?" Nikki muttered to him, pushing him slightly into the room "Go and get it, don't kill it though"

"Of all the things you could be scared of and it's spiders" Harry chuckled as he walked over to the sink and grabbed a glass "I thought the great Dr Nicola Alexander would be okay with them, being a strong independent woman and all that"

"Shut up and get rid of it" Nikki told him loudly "I need to use the loo"

"There's one downstairs" Harry stated as he placed the cup over the top of the spider, turning to glance at her "Paper? Cardboard?.." he prompted and Nikki popped her head out of the bathroom and then reached over to grab a piece of paper from the chest of drawers on her landing. She handed it to Harry and stepped back quickly as he turned around with the spider sitting on the paper under the glass. "I can't do it with only one hand" he told her "It's okay to stand without the crutch but I can't walk without it at this time of the morning, my co-ordination isn't that good"

"What?" Nikki practically screeched "What are you going to do with that?"

"Well you can.."

"I am not bloody touching that"

"You don't have to touch the poor spider" Harry rolled his eyes "Just the cup and paper"

"But..but it's right there" Nikki whimpered, motioning to the glass and the quite large spider in it. She could practically feel it watching her.

"Nikki, all you have to do, is take it to the window and throw it out"

"I can't" Nikki whispered, shaking her head. She hated admitting any of her fears to anyone, including Harry, and to have him find out that she was stupidly terrified of spiders really damaged her pride.

"Okay" Harry compromised, seeing how scared Nikki was, wondering why he hadn't known about her fear before now "You take it to the window, then I hobble over and throw it out. Okay?"

"Okay" Nikki murmured as she nodded, walking over to him and taking the cup from him with shaking hands. Walking quickly over to the window and sighing with relief as Harry made his way over as well, handing her his crutch and gently throwing the spider out of the window, knowing that it would be okay. "I'm sorry"

"Don't apologise" Harry chuckled, pressing his lips to hers and giving her a smile as he pulled away.

"It's stupid.."

"No it's not" he interrupted her "Stop thinking that you have to be strong all the time, you're allowed to be scared and cry and..moan and...whatever else humans have to do. Stop thinking that you're being a burden"

"How did you know I think...?"

"Because I can read you like a book Nicola" Harry replied with a smile, kissing her once more before hobbling away from her and to the doorway "Now I've rescued you from the big bad spider I can go back to bed"

"My own knight in shining armour" Nikki giggled and Harry grinned at her before walking from the room.

* * *

**So..should I write about their time in Rome, when the time comes?**

**xxx**


	37. Chapter 37

"Need me to rescue you from any more big bad spiders?" Harry murmured into Nikki's ear the next day as he pressed himself up against her back. Nikki was sitting on one of the stools in the cutting room, going through a list of the evidence. She giggled and shifted slightly as she felt Harry wrap one arm around her waist, pressing his lips to her neck.

"Harry, we're at work" she hissed, making no attempt to stop him as he continued to kiss her, even leaning her head back slightly to give him better access.

"So?"

"So, we have rules about professionalism that we made ourselves" Nikki replied, pushing him away half heartedly, loving the feeling of his warm body pressed against her back, making her feel protected.

"Well they went out of the window two days ago, did they not?" Harry asked with a chuckle against her skin, making Nikki shiver in delight. "I brought you something"

"Oh really" Nikki stated, turning on the stool and looking very interested. Harry however leant down and pressed his lips to hers, allowing Nikki to reach up and grip the back of his neck slightly, pulling him closer. However, Harry pulled away and pulled something out of his jacket pocket, causing Nikki to grin and blush at the same time.

"Galaxy chocolate for my beautiful lady" Harry told her with a grin "Sorry it's not melted and dripped over your body, but that can wait can't it?" he whispered into her ear and Nikki's blush grew as she giggled and took the chocolate from her lover.

"Thank you"

Harry just leant down and kissed her again, resting one hand on her hip as he did so, rubbing it gently with his thumb as Nikki wrapped one arm around his neck to pull him closer. A loud cough from the doorway made them jump slightly and they broke the kiss, turning towards the door but not moving from their close position. Leo shook his head and tried not to smile as he walked further into the room.

"Is there any point me telling you to stop?"

"Nope" Harry replied cheerfully, limping away from Nikki slightly and leaning on his one crutch.

"Didn't think so" Leo chuckled and Nikki giggled loudly, turning back to her work.

"I was attempting to do some work until Harry here came along" she told the older man and Harry scoffed lightly and flicked Nikki on the nose. "Hey"

"Oh I'm sorry" Harry laughed as he backed away from Nikki trying to hit him "My hand slipped"

"My hand will slip in a minute Dr Cunningham" Nikki warned him and Harry raised an eyebrow at her. Leo just shook his head in exasperation and walked off down to the other end of the cutting room and through that door.

"What are you going to do?" Harry muttered to her as he leant forward, his mouth dangerously close to her ear "Slap me? Or would you like it to be the other way around?"

Nikki tried to deny anything but her blush told Harry everything he needed to know.

"Kinky bitch" he whispered and Nikki shivered at his words, licking her lips and feeling the heat pool in her stomach. "Oh so you like talking dirty, yes?"

"Harry we're at work" Nikki hissed, turning away from him and back to her work, stealing a quick glance at the doorway as she did so. She sighed when Harry wrapped his arms around her waist, pressing his lips to her neck once more.

"No-one cares" he muttered against her skin "So, yes or no. You do like being talked dirty to. Yes?"

"Yes" Nikki replied quickly, her blush rising again "Not that anyone else ether bothered to ask me"

"Ah so I'm the only man who's experienced it"

"Yes" Nikki replied again, her heart thumping in her chest at Harry's close proximity, and the way his voice was so calm and cool. Seductive.

"I _thought_ you liked dirty talk"

"Really" Nikki stated, trying to sound bored as she turned over the page of results and tried to keep reading, Harry's hand making its way up the front of her blouse made this difficult.

"Yes, because when you were drunk you were begging me to fuck you" Harry whispered into her ear, chuckling slightly when Nikki let out a noise that was a cross between a groan and squeak. "I'll be glad to be of service"

He then untangled himself from Nikki and hobbled out of the room, leaving Nikki feeling very flushed and very aroused by the whole conversation.

"You Nicola Alexander are a complete and utter tease" Harry told her later than afternoon when he got home from work. Nikki had been home two hours already, Harry having stayed behind to finish up some paperwork that had to be in straight away. Nikki turned around from where she had just finished changing the bedclothes and smiled innocently at her lover.

"And how am I a complete and utter tease?" she enquired, sitting down on the bed and watching Harry as he made his way over to her.

"Just..the way you look at me like you're going to jump me any second and then don't, the way you flick your hair over your shoulder, that infuriatingly gorgeous giggle that has me practically grabbing you and taking you on the nearest available surface" Harry told her in frustration, dropping his crutch and pushing Nikki back onto the bed so she was laying down, a smirk on her face. However her mobile rang suddenly, stopping whatever was about to happen.

"Go and get that for me" she told Harry, pushing him away slightly and begging him with her eyes. Harry sighed and muttered something about 'being injured', and hobbled to her jacket without aid of the crutch and then walked back to the bed, climbing back on and giving Nikki the ringing device. "Hello?"

"_Nik" _Jennifer's voice floated down the phone and Nikki had to bite back a moan as Harry started to kiss his way down her neck. _"You haven't heard from Kathy have you?"_

"Not in a few days" Nikki replied as Harry started to unbutton her blouse, kissing her skin as it was revealed to him. "Since I saw her and we had our chat, she said she needed a few days to cool off. You know how she is when she needs to cool off, I didn't try and disagree"

"_Right, okay. Because I've been trying to contact her but she's not replying" _Jennifer continued, Nikki gasping slightly as Harry took one of her now braless breasts in his mouth, teasing her with his tongue and making her squirm under him.

"I'm sure she's fine, she just needs some time alone" Nikki told her friend, whimpering quietly as Harry let go of her breast and moved onto the other, biting it slightly and making his lover moan, arousal shooting through her. She reached down and gripped the back of Harry's head, showing him wordlessly that she liked it and making him do it again.

"_I'll probably go round and check on her just in case. Has he moved out?"_

"Yes" Nikki replied quickly, and Harry wasn't sure if it was in answer to a question she had just been asked, or to urge him on as he nibbled and licked at her breasts. "He..took his things and left..the same night"

"_Bastard" _Jennifer hissed, and Nikki sincerely hoped that her friend wasn't going to be on the phone for long, not when Harry was kissing and biting his way down her stomach, making heat pool at her centre. _"I really thought that he loved her"_

"He did" Nikki gasped as her lover moved up her body and kissed his way up to her ear. However she heard someone call for Jennifer in the background of the phone call.

"_I have to go Nikki, I'll talk to you soon"_

"Bye" Nikki muttered and put the phone on the bed next to her, pushing Harry away from her and giggling as he pouted at her. "Thought we were waiting for Rome"

Harry knew she was right, so he nodded and kissed her shoulder again, smiling at her as he turned and climbed off the bed, leaving Nikki to sort her clothing out.

* * *

**Just watched Sherlock Holmes..omg Holmes and Watson are so gay together! I love them! :D**

**xxx**


	38. Chapter 38

"Nikki"

Nikki groaned as she heard Harry's soft voice next to her ear and his hand gently shaking her. She reached in front of her to bat him away blindly and moaned when her arm hit the cold air outside of the warm duvet.

"Go 'way" she muttered, burying her head under the duvet and attempting to ignore her lover. However Harry wasn't having any of it and quickly drew the covers away from her. "Git" Nikki hissed, still not opening her eyes, as she curled up tightly, her naked body shivering slightly.

"You love me really" Harry chuckled as Nikki opened her eyes slightly and glared at him.

"I suppose I have to really" she giggled at him, turning onto her back and allowing the duvet to slip down slightly, some of the buttons on her pyjama top having come undone during the night. Harry grinned proudly down at her and leant over her, resting one hand beside her head and leaning down to press his lips to hers. Nikki reached up and wrapped her arms around Harry's neck, tugging him down onto the bed so he was laying over her, allowing him to deepen the kiss. She then quickly flipped then over so she was straddling her lover, running one hand through his hand, the other gripping his shoulder.

"Nikki..we have..work" Harry muttered through the kiss.

"I'm on..an..afternoon" she told him "So I can do what I want until then"

"But I" Harry started, sitting up and making Nikki slide down onto his lap "Have to work this morning"

"You're going to leave me like this?" Nikki pouted and Harry looked her body up and down, her breasts in perfect distance of his mouth, her pyjama top still open and inviting him in. He felt his trousers tighten and knew Nikki did too when he saw the smirk on her face. "I'll have to sort myself out then" she sighed dramatically and went to climb off Harry's lap. Harry however wrapped his arms around her back and held her securely against him, his mouth instantly going to one of her breasts and biting it gently, making Nikki moan in surprise.

"You can't..expect..me to leave..you like that..when you give me..those images" He told her, flipping them both over so Nikki was on her back, his cast covered leg pushing her legs apart and his lips on her hers again.

"Two and a half weeks until I'm free of this" Harry told Nikki that evening as they lay curled up on the sofa that evening. He motioned to his cast and Nikki nodded, looking away from the television and turning her body so she could see Harry properly.

"Three weeks until Rome" she grinned and Harry chuckled at her and kissed her gently. "I'm really looking forward to it"

"You should be. Two whole weeks with me and a hotel room" Harry laughed, making Nikki giggle as he kissed her, the television forgotten.

"I intent to go on days out as well" Nikki told Harry as she pushed him away and went to get up. Harry however sighed and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her back down again so she was lying on her back, her head on his chest, laughing loudly.

"Oh really? Well I was going to keep you tied to the bed so I can have my wicked way with you whenever I like" Harry smirked down at her and Nikki raised an eyebrow and smiled slightly.

"Really? Well in that case I'm sure I can forgo my sightseeing. Especially since you are tying me up"

"Kinky minx" Harry whispered as he ran one hand down her body, squeezing her breasts slightly and making her arch up into him, before going further and slipping his hand into her pyjama bottoms, teasing her through her knickers and making her moan. She arched her hips up slightly, her eyes flickering shut as he continued to rub her gently, small gasps and whimpers escaping her lips.

"Harry" she moaned, parting her legs slightly and opening her eyes to look at him "More"

Harry did as he was told, slipping his hand into her knickers and quickly pressing two of his fingers into Nikki's centre, making her gasp loudly and arch up into his hand as he slowly thrust his fingers into her.

"Harder" Nikki whimpered, gripping his other arm tightly as he slowly tortured her "Please..Harry"

Harry quickened his pace, adding two more fingers, Nikki's pants and moans urging him on as her body writhed on his lap under his touch. All the while he whispered to her how wet and ready for him she was. It didn't take long for Nikki to arch up into his hand and scream his name, her orgasm washing over her, her grip on his arm tightening.

"God" she panted as she gave Harry a chuckle which was returned.

"I've been called many things, but you may call me God if you want" Harry told her with a smirk and Nikki rolled her eyes, her breath hitching as Harry removed his hand from her and brought it to his mouth, licking his fingers slowly, never breaking eye contact with her. Nikki squirmed under his gaze and sat herself up so she was sitting on Harry's lap, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. "You taste gorgeous".

Nikki flushed, her cheeks heating up as she heard Harry say that. He had told her that before, but it still made her blush even so, something that caused Harry much amusement. As usual, Harry chuckled and rested his forehead on Nikki's, running one hand through her hair.

"I love you" he whispered and Nikki smiled at him and kissed him gently.

"I love you" she replied, sighing as she felt Harry's arms wrap around her waist and pull her closer "I'm looking forward to two whole weeks with just you, no-one to interrupt us"

"Can't blame you" Harry chuckled as he leant down to kiss her again and Nikki giggled, moving her face away from him and denying him a kiss.

"Full of yourself aren't you Dr Cunningham?"

"Well I can't wait to have you all to myself for two weeks" Harry told her, nuzzling her neck gently as he spoke, pressing small kisses onto her skin "Can't wait to make love to you" 'Can't wait to propose to you' he added mentally, a smile spreading over his face.

"You can make love to me now" Nikki whispered to him, leaning her head back slightly to give her lover better access. "I want you in me"

Harry groaned slightly at her boldness, he loved it when Nikki told him outright what she wanted.

"We said we'd wait" Harry told his lover as she reached up and ran her hands through his hair, tugging at it slightly and making him moan at the sensation, his arousal growing. Nikki knew exactly what to do to him to turn him on and tip him over the edge, knew exactly what to do to have him moaning her name like a mantra. "So we're going to wait"

"Harry" Nikki whined, running one hand down his chest and then started massaging him through his trousers, making him groan and tighten his grip on her.

"Nikki" he whispered, arching into her touch slightly and making Nikki smirk at him.

"Yes?" she asked coyly as she slowly unbuttoned his trousers, pushing her hand inside and stroking him through his boxers, an involuntary gasp escaping her lips when she felt him. "You're so hard for me Harry"

"Always..so..ready for you..Nik.." Harry moaned as Nikki squeezed him through his boxers "Always..want you"

"I can feel that" Nikki giggled, pushing her hand into his boxers and quickly wrapping her hand around his erection and making him moan, arching into her hand and gripping her closer to him.

"God Nikki"

She quickly pulled Harry's boxers down and scraped her fingers up the underside of his erection, a smirk spreading over her face.

Nikki frowned as she walked into the living room dressed only in her dressing gown that was tied around her waist after the relaxing bath that she had just got out of. Harry was sitting on the sofa watching some sort of film that Nikki wasn't interested in. His lover walked over to the table and picked up her mobile as it continued to ring, answering it quickly and holding it to her ear.

"Hello?"

"_Nikki I need your help"_

"Janet? What's wrong?"

Harry looked away from the film as he heard this and held his hand out as Nikki walked over to the sofa. She took his hand in hers and allowed Harry to pull her onto the sofa and wrap his arms around her, a concerned look on his face.

"_Can you come round?" _the other woman asked and Nikki could hear her almost crying. _"Please?"_

"Of course I can" Nikki nodded and stood up, quickly extracting herself from Harry's grip as he tried to pull her back down, giving him an irritated sigh which made him let go, knowing that she wasn't in the mood for any teasing. "Just let me get changed, I'll be right over"

"_Thank you"_

"See you soon"

Nikki then hung up and turned back to Harry who frowned at her.

"Janet, she wants me to go and see her. She sounded really upset" Nikki told her lover before turning and walking quickly out of the room. Harry just sighed and rolled his eyes, turning back to the film he was watching, deciding to let Nikki sort out whatever it was on her own.

* * *

**They might even make it to Rome before they have sex..it would be a miracle if they do XD.**

**xxx**


	39. Chapter 39

"Janet, what's wrong?" Nikki asked instantly as the older woman let her into the house and dragged her into the living room. She could see that the other woman had been crying. "Janet?"

"I'm..I was.."

Nikki was even more worried now. Janet was normally so forward and always knew what to say.

"I thought I was pregnant" she told Nikki quickly and the pathologist nodded, sitting down on the sofa next to Janet "I brought the pregnancy tests, without telling Leo, I was going to find out without telling him, I didn't want him to get his hopes up. But he found the tests and got really excited about..." Janet took a deep breath and Nikki reached over and squeezed her hand gently "he got excited about being a father again, I hadn't even done the tests but he was ecstatic that I might be"

"But you're not?"

"No" Janet shook her head "I don't know how to tell him without disappointing him. I don't want to see that look on his face"

"You're going to have to" Nikki told Janet quietly "He's going to ask and you can't lie to him"

"God no" Janet replied quickly, shaking her head again "I couldn't do that, it's just the look he's going to get on his face, I can't bear to think about it"

"Well, just tell him that you're not pregnant, but you should keep on trying because it's fun" Nikki smiled making Janet chuckle loudly and nod. "That's what me and Harry..um.." she trailed off, realising that she had said too much.

"You're trying for a baby as well?" Janet grinned, happy for her two friends who she knew would make fantastic parents.

"No I mean..well not trying as _such_. We're seeing how things go. We both agreed that I shouldn't go on the pill, for various reasons, but we're still using condoms. But even if we forget or one breaks or whatever and I get pregnant, then we'll still be happy"

"Kind of trying for a baby but not" Janet replied with a smirk "Both telling yourself that you don't want children yet and aren't trying, but 'oh look we're pregnant, how brilliant' sort of thing?"

"Maybe" Nikki flushed bright red.

"My God you two are both so awkward. Why don't you both just admit that yes you do want children right now and just stop with the contraception?"

"Because.." Nikki trailed off and shrugged.

"Because you're both so slow" Janet laughed, all her previous worries forgotten "Go home, grab Harry and tell him that you don't want to use protection anymore and that you should have a baby"

"Janet" Nikki whined, leaning against the back of the sofa and running one hand over her face "Why is it that I want a baby so badly with Harry and we've only been dating a few weeks, but I've never even thought about it before with anyone else?"

"Because you and Harry have a bond" Janet replied in all seriousness "It was pretty obvious that neither of you would be settling down with anyone apart from each other, and because you've been so close for six years, you've gone past the 'let's get to know each other' stage and gone straight for the 'we want to get married and have lots of babies' stage"

"True" Nikki nodded, smiling as Janet spoke "Harry does know me better than anyone, even myself I think"

"and you know Harry better than anyone else" Janet told her, poking her friend in the arm as she leant back in the sofa. "Now thank you for your help, do you want a drink? I feel terrible dragging you round here just for a few minutes"

"No thank you and you were upset, I wasn't just going to leave you was I?" Nikki asked rhetorically.

"Sorry if I interrupted anything"

"You didn't" Nikki responded, flicking her hair over her shoulder and smiling the older woman "We're waiting now until Harry's cast is off and we're in Rome"

"That's so cute" Janet gushed and Nikki grinned at her and nodded "You're going to have an amazing few weeks"

"If I can walk at the end of it I will be very disappointed" Nikki replied and both women giggled loudly "The things he can do though" she smirked at Janet who was looking even more interested now "If he can do those things with a cast on, God knows what he's going to be like cast free and able to move properly. I look forward to finding out"

"Is he that good?"

"Janet you have no idea" Nikki giggled, curling her legs under her. Janet did the same, eager for some girly talk with her friend. "I always used to imagine that he would be amazing in bed, but I really had no clue what I was on about until it happened. And he's so considerate as well, always wanting to know what I like and what I want to do, letting me finish before him.." Nikki trailed off and shrugged, not at all embarrassed by talking about it with Janet, they were brilliant friends. "He's perfect"

"You've got a love struck look on your face" Janet told Nikki kindly and the younger woman blushed and sighed.

"Maybe I do" she giggled, running one hand through her hair "Because I love him, I didn't think I could ever love anyone as much as Harry. Not with everyone else being.." she shrugged and sighed "He's different from everyone else"

"He's besotted with you, you should see it from our point of view. He gets a look in his eyes when he looks at you or even thinks about you. It's cute"

"I'm not sure Harry will like being called cute but I'll go with it" Nikki laughed and glanced at the clock as it chimed ten o'clock. "I should go, Leo should be home very soon"

"_you_ need to go home and tell Dr Cunningham that he will be getting you pregnant within a few months" Janet agreed with a smile on her face.

"Janet" Nikki giggled loudly, rolling her eyes "You're terrible"

"I know" Janet chuckled but then sobered up "Tell him, it'll do you both good to agree to the other that you want to try for a baby. Because it's true"

"I'll talk to him, I promise" Nikki nodded, standing up and walking to the front door with Janet following.

"Hello you" Harry grinned as Nikki walked past him where he was sitting on the bed. He reached over and gripped her wrist in his hand, pulling her onto the bed so she was lying on top of him, making her squeal slightly and giggle. "How's Janet?"

"She's fine" Nikki replied, leaning down and kissing him on the lips, sitting up and straddling him, deepening the kiss as she felt him wrap his arms around her waist. "Women's problems that she needed..advice about"

"Hmm" was all Harry said in reply as he ran his hand up the back of Nikki's pyjama top, then around the front and up to her chest, cupping one of her breasts and rubbing it slowly, making Nikki moan slightly and arch into him.

"Want you in me" Nikki murmured into his lips as he broke the kiss "Please"

Harry moved his hand from her breast and trailed it slowly down her body as Nikki kissed him again, pressing herself into him. He pressed two fingers to her centre through her pyjamas, smirking into the kiss as she moaned and arched into his touch.

"More" she gasped, trying to press herself down onto his hand "Please"

"God Nicola I love it when you beg" Harry whispered as he applied more pressure, making Nikki whimper loudly. "and I'm going to make you beg.."

"Yes" Nikki nodded eagerly, arching into him again but gasping as Harry moved his hand away, a smirk on his face.

"When we're in Rome" Harry continued and Nikki just stared at him, a disbelieving look on his face "But right now we need to sleep"

"God you're a bastard" Nikki muttered and Harry just smirked at her, running his hand over her arse and squeezing it, making her giggle slightly. "But I love you"

"and I love you" Harry responded, allowing Nikki to lean down and kiss him before she rolled off him and climbed under the duvet, cuddling up to him. Harry wrapped one arm around her waist and then reached over to turn the bedside light out, before turning and pulling Nikki closer to him, his other arm snaking around her back. He kissed her on the forehead before laying down and closing his eyes.

* * *

**So should it be a traditional 'Harry proposal' or the down on one knee thing for a change?**

**xxx**


	40. Chapter 40

"We need to go shopping for clothes for the holiday" Nikki told Harry the next day while they were at work. Nikki sitting on one of the stools in the layout room, a folder of results spread out in front of her, Harry with his arms around her waist, his chest pressed up against her back. "and other essentials"

"Essentials?" Harry asked, looking over her shoulder at the papers strewn over the table.

"Yeah you know, sun tan lotion, extra shower gel, shampoo..."

"Protection?" Harry enquired as Nikki trailed off. He tried to sound noncommittal about it but it had been niggling at him for the past few days.

"Harry close the door and lock it" Nikki told her lover and Harry frowned, but did as he was told, limping over with the aid of one crutch, before turning and looking at Nikki. When she didn't speak or even turn around, he walked back over to her and once more wrapped his arms around her waist.

"What is it?" he whispered into her hair as he kissed the top of her head "What's wrong?" he asked softly and Nikki sighed.

"Talking to Janet yesterday" she started, turning on the stool so she was facing him fully, placing her hands on his chest and absentmindedly playing with the buttons on his shirt. Harry reached down and rested his hands on her hips, taking one step closer to her. "She made me realise that.." Nikki stopped and Harry encouraged her on with a small nod "I don't want to use protection anymore" she told Harry clearly.

Harry just stared at her for a few seconds before grinning broadly, a happy laugh escaping his mouth as he wrapped his arms around Nikki and pulled her into his body, Nikki too chuckling along with him.

"You mean that?"

"Yes" Nikki nodded into his chest "I know I said we have to find our feet as a couple and wait until any little surprises come along, but..we've been a couple for six years haven't we? I think it's time we did something that we want together. Otherwise with our track record it'll be ten years before we even agree to have children"

"You have no idea how happy you make me Nikki" Harry whispered to her as he leant down and kissed her fully on the lips "Not just now, but always. You always have"

"You always make me feel so safe" Nikki told Harry between kisses as they continued to kiss lazily "Even if you're nowhere near me and are just in the room, I know nothing horrible will happen to me because you're there to protect me"

Harry almost cried when he heard Nikki say that. How this one woman, this amazing beautiful woman, could reduce a man like him to tears was beyond him, but she had done quite a few times now. He didn't have anything to respond to Nikki, so they just kissed lazily for a few more minutes, both content with the others company.

"I can't believe you want a baby with me" Nikki whispered to her lover as she drew away and rubbed his cheek gently with her thumb "I mean I'm not the most maternal woman in the world"

"You are, you just don't know it yet" Harry told her softly, running one hand through her hair as he spoke "Just wait until you're pregnant and you feel our baby move for the first time, and when you have a gorgeous bump, and when you hold our baby for the first time. You won't be saying you're not maternal then, I promise you that"

Nikki smiled and nodded, kissing him again before moving away and running one hand through his hair.

"I love you"

"I love you" Harry replied and leant down to kiss her just as the door on the other side of the room connecting to the cutting room opened and Leo walked in.

"Don't you two ever leave each other alone?" he asked as he rolled his eyes, Nikki blushing brightly and Harry chuckling at both of them.

"Not really, surely you understand" Harry said to Leo as the older man walked over to the table and began to look at the results that Nikki had been looking at. "Having a beautiful woman at your beck and call"

"Excuse me?" Nikki scoffed, knowing Harry was joking but still playing his game. "I'm not at your beck and call, it's the other way around and you know it. I say jump and you ask how high"

She smirked at him before standing up and walking out of the room, her boots clicking on the floor. Harry watched her go, his eyes running down her perfect body, smirking slightly as he took the time to appreciate her from behind.

"Harry concentrate"

Harry glanced at Leo and saw that the older man was smiling at him.

"We really are at their beck and call aren't we? I mean..God I practically worship the ground Nikki walks on"

"I've noticed" Leo nodded and Harry glared at the other man "and we are most definitely at their beck and call"

"What else do we need for the holiday?" Nikki asked Harry that evening as they both sat in the living room. Nikki curled up on the sofa, pen and paper in her hand, absentmindedly chewing on the pen. Harry just watched the pen in her mouth, his trousers tightening slightly before he thought it was best if he turned away as Nikki pulled the pen out of her mouth and rested it on her lips. Harry had to wonder how Nikki could turn him on just by chewing on a pen, then realised that it was Nikki he was thinking about, she could turn him on just by walking into the room. "Harry?"

"Hmm? Sorry?" he asked, having blanked out from what his lover was saying in favour of staring at her. Nikki rolled her eyes and Harry looked back at the laptop in front of him.

"What else do we need for the holiday?"

"What do you have down?"

Nikki got up and walked over to the living room table, perching herself on Harry's lap and handing him the pad as he wrapped his arm around her back. Harry quickly read through the list, a smirk working its way onto his face.

"Kitchen sink?"

"Be serious" Nikki giggled, pushing him slightly.

"I'm always serious" Harry replied, poking her in the side and making Nikki laugh loudly. "How many clothes do you need? Honestly Nikki?"

"I'm a woman, I need lots of clothes" Nikki told her lover, leaning her head on his shoulder and playing absentmindedly "Thank you for taking me to Rome"

"You're welcome" Harry smiled, turning his head and pressing a kiss onto her forehead "You've always wanted to go and I wanted to please you"

"Don't think you have to go out of your way to please me" Nikki murmured, absentmindedly drawing squiggles on the paper in front of her "You just being with me is enough"

"Don't be silly, I have to treat you properly like a woman should be treated"

Harry heard Nikki sniff and looked down at her to see tears running silently down her cheeks.

"Hey" he whispered, pulling her closer to him and gently stroking her cheek, wiping away her tears and kissing her on the lips. "What's wrong?"

"Just you..you make me feel like I'm the only one in the world who is important" she bit her lip and tried not to let out a sob as Harry smiled gently at her, wiping her cheeks again.

"You _are_ the only one in the world who is important" Harry told her truthfully and Nikki smiled tearfully at him, his heart jumping in his chest as he saw. "I love you so so much, more than you will ever understand"

"Thank you" Nikki whispered but Harry shook his head.

"Don't thank me for loving you, never do that"

Nikki smiled and leant her head on Harry's chest, letting out a contented sigh as she closed her eyes.

"I love you" she muttered and Harry smiled, leaning down and kissing her on the head.

* * *

**One more week and then no more school ever! Thank Heavens!**

**xxx**


	41. Chapter 41

"Kathy how are you?" Nikki asked her friend softly as she let the other woman into her house the next afternoon, shutting the door softly behind her.

"I'm..I don't know" Kathy shrugged as she sat down on Nikki's sofa, looking around the room and smiling faintly at the pictures of her friend and Harry, some new ones having been added since the last time she had been to Nikki's house. At least her friend was happy. "I've tried to get over it, I really have, but it's so hard"

"It won't be easy" Nikki told her friend as she sat down on the arm chair opposite her.

"I don't know if I can get on without him" Kathy continued and Nikki knew what she was on about. A few months ago she wouldn't have been able to understand, but since then she and Harry had got together and she now understood. If, Heaven forbid, she and Harry ever split up, she knew she would never get over him. "I try, and I know he's done me wrong and he's a complete bastard. But he has been my life since uni and I.." she took a deep breath to stop herself crying and shook her head "I still love him"

"I would be surprised if you didn't" Nikki replied with a small shrug, sitting back in the chair and turning to look absentmindedly at a picture of her and Harry in Africa that was sitting on the mantel piece next to her. "As you said, you've been together since uni, you can't just stop that overnight"

"Well apparently he's had six months" Kathy added bitterly, his eyes filling with tears which she blinked away furiously and reached up to wipe her face.

"You'll find someone else" Nikki told her friend softly and Kathy scoffed and shook her head.

"Who's going to want a woman who can't give them children, one who has just come out of a long marriage with a man who cheated on her for six months and she didn't know?"

"Kathy I didn't think that any man would want me, especially Harry, after all the men that I have had. But Harry practically worships the ground that I walk on and I'm still trying to come to terms with that. It's still new to me, but you will find someone like that, someone who worships you"

"_He_ used to worship me" Kathy shouted at her friend "He used to..worship the ground that I..walked..on, he used..to..love me..more..than anything..in the...world"

She then stood up and ran from the room, Nikki standing up and following quickly but stopping when she heard the front door slam shut. She leant against the sofa and sighed, running one hand through her hair and shaking her head.

"Who was that?" Harry asked as he hobbled down the stairs, buttoning his shirt up, hair damp from his shower.

"Kathy" Nikki replied with another sigh "She's not over him"

"I don't blame her" Harry told his lover, walking over to her and resting his hands on her hips and pulling her into his body. "She was in love with him, I know how she feels"

"So do I" Nikki agreed, leaning up and kissing him gently on the lips, a smile gracing hers. When she pulled away again however there was a frown on her face. "You won't..I mean..don't worry, forget it"

"Nikki, tell me"

"You won't leave me will you?" Nikki whispered, biting her lip slightly as she spoke. Harry just smiled at her and shook his head.

"Nikki, I will never leave you, I love you, I'm in love with you. We've had this conversation before, and trust me it will always be the same"

"But everyone else has left me" Nikki cried, tears slipping down her face as she got worked up "Everyone, my mother, my _father_.."

"You have me and Leo and Janet and anyone else who comes along" Harry interrupted, glancing down at her stomach as he spoke and extracting a smile from Nikki as she too looked down at where he too was looking. "We're your family and we love you"

"Sorry" Nikki whispered and Harry shook his head and kissed her gently.

"Don't apologise, now go and chose a DVD that I have to suffer through, I'll be in in a minute"

Nikki giggled and nodded, kissing him again before turning around and making her way into the living room, rolling her eyes as Harry patted her bum on his way past her.

* * *

**Because this chapter is short, I'll upload the next one as well. I've already written up to chapter 53 :S. I got a bit carried away :)**

**xxx**


	42. Chapter 42

**Some smut in here.**

* * *

"Nikki I am finally free" Harry practically shouted as they walked from the hospital, cast and crutch free for the first time in just over six weeks. "You have no idea how happy I am"

"I can guess" Nikki replied dryly, rolling her eyes and unlocking her car door "But you do have to have physio for a few weeks"

"Yes but that's ages away, after our trip to Rome" Harry grinned as he climbed into the car, turning to Nikki as she climbed into the driver's seat "I can make love to you properly now"

Nikki couldn't help but grin as well, a slight heat pooling in her stomach at the anticipation of it.

"We have three days until Rome" she reminded him as she started the car and put her seat belt on "We said we'd wait until then"

"But I want you now Nikki" Harry whispered, leaning over and kissing her neck unexpectedly, taking her hand and pressing it to the front of his jeans, smirking into her skin as he heard her moan when she felt his growing arousal. "Can't wait for Rome"

Nikki licked her lips and took a deep breath, neither could she. She pushed Harry away and gripped the steering wheel tightly as she put the car in gear and drove out of the car park, intent on getting home very quickly.

As soon as they had entered the house, Harry had pushed the front door shut with a loud bang and scooped Nikki up into his arms, she had giggled loudly and kissed him, dropping her bag onto the table as they passed. Harry quickly made his way to the bed room, depositing Nikki onto the bed and claiming her lips with his own.

"Hurry up" Nikki moaned as her lover dropped both of their jackets to the floor and began to slowly unbutton her blouse.

"Patience is a virtue my love" Harry chuckled as he pressed small kisses to her slowly exposed skin "and I'm going to make the most of this" he then paused, his fingers brushing lightly over Nikki's now naked stomach, making goose bumps erupt on her skin. "Maybe we should wait for Rome"

Nikki willed herself not to roll him over, strip him and take him herself. Instead she reached up and grabbed his tie, yanking him down so she could kiss him.

"Want..you..in me..now" she muttered through the kiss and Harry pressed himself into her, making Nikki moan slightly at the pressure on her centre. She quickly took Harry's tie off, dropping it to her stomach and then started work on his shirt, quickly pushing it off his shoulders and dropping it to the floor, running her hands up his naked chest. Harry quickly removed the rest of her clothing apart from her underwear and laughed slightly as Nikki quickly flipped them over so she was straddling him, slipping the tie over her neck so it fell down over her breasts.

"You really are eager aren't you?" Harry chuckled as Nikki grinned and leant down to kiss him, arching into him slightly as he ran his hands down her side and cupped her arse, pulling her into him.

"So are you" Nikki whispered as she leant back again, shifting on him so she rubbed up against his bulging crotch, making Harry moan slightly. She then reached down and unbuttoned Harry's shirt, pressing small kisses to the smooth skin as he was exposed, circling both nipples with her tongue and making Harry gasp quietly. The shirt was dropped to the floor and Harry's trousers soon followed quickly. However before Nikki could take off his boxers, Harry sat up and kissed her roughly, flipping them over so she was laying under him, her hair spread out on the duvet.

"You're so beautiful" Harry told her as he kissed her neck, moving quickly down her chest and extracting her from the bra, throwing it somewhere across the room before glancing at the tie, a smirk making its way onto her face. Nikki glanced down at where he was looking and she smiled, propping herself up on her elbows and cocking her head to one side.

"What do you want to do?" she whispered, knowing exactly what was running through Harry's head because it was going through hers as well.

"I want to tie you up" Harry replied forcibly, the intense look in his eyes making the heat pooling in her stomach intensify, loving how he was taking charge.

"and then?" Nikki enquired, pushing herself further up the bed so she was near the headboard. Harry didn't reply straight away, he was too busy observing her body closely, licking his lips as his eyes flickered down her half naked body, his eyes darkening even more as he got to her sill covered centre.

"and then" Harry told her, moving so he was leaning over her "I'm going to touch you"

"Where?"

"Here" Harry whispered, running his fingers over her knickers. Nikki bit her lip to stop herself moaning "and I'm going to touch you until you scream my name"

Nikki couldn't help but moan this time when she heard Harry say that to her, the heat in her stomach reaching new heights.

"Yes" she nodded vigorously, the word coming out as more of a sigh as Harry pressed his lips to her neck. Harry meanwhile was trying not to chuckle, he had always known that Nikki had liked being talked dirty to, and now he was going to use that to his advantage. Mostly at work. "and..then?" Nikki breathed out as Harry moved away from her and took the tie from around her neck. He didn't reply as he tied Nikki's hand securely to the headboard.

"and then..well you'll have to find out won't you?" Harry chuckled against her skin as he kissed his way down her neck and took one breast in his mouth, teasing it with his tongue and making Nikki moan loudly, arching up into his mouth as she let out a ragged breath. He took his time on both breasts, until Nikki thought she would cum with just this sensation alone. However Harry then moved away from her and pulled her knickers gently down her legs, dropping them to the floor and then pressing his hand to her centre, teasing her slightly with one finger, never taking his eyes off her. Nikki licked her lips and arched up into his hand, gasping as Harry continued to rub and tease her. "God Nikki you're so wet" Harry told her, licking his lips and Nikki's eyes fluttered close, a low moan coming from her mouth, a combination of Harry's actions and his words. How she had lived this long without him she didn't know, none of her other lovers came anywhere close to him. "You like that?"

Nikki nodded quickly.

"Yes" she told him loudly, the word coming out as a gasp as Harry pressed one finger into her "Oh God Harry, more"

Harry however continued to press one finger into her, not complying with her moans as she begged him for more. While he teased her, he moved up her body and leant down to kiss her, her moans muffled by his mouth as their tongues battled for dominance. Harry felt her tense around him and arch into his hand, her orgasm washing over her as he removed his mouth from hers, hearing his name come tumbling from her lips in a loud shout.

"Now what else shall I do with your beautiful body?" Harry asked her as he licked his lips. Nikki just smiled at him and arched up into his hand again.

"God Harry I'm surprised I can walk" Nikki giggled the next morning as she walked back into the bedroom, totally naked apart from the dressing gown slung over her body that wasn't actually covering much. Harry chuckled from where he was laying in the bed watching her. "However, why" she asked, sauntering over to the bed and placing her hand on the sheet that was covering Harry's naked crotch. He hissed slightly and reached down to grab her wrist. "Was this not in me at all last night?"

"Because" Harry replied, tugging her down onto the bed so she was laying over him "I'm waiting for Rome, I did tell you"

"Thought you were going to make love to me" Nikki pouted and moved the duvet so she could wriggle under it, and throw it over both of them, settling back down on Harry again as he wrapped his arms around her.

"I'm going to make love to you properly when we're in Rome" Harry told her, leaning down to press a kiss onto the top of her head. Nikki then turned on his body so they were laying naked chest to naked chest, kissing his skin gently as she did so.

"Thank you for last night, it was amazing"

"You were amazing, I don't think I've ever been so turned on in my life" Harry chuckled, making Nikki giggle against his chest. "Well apart from all the times you've done it without realising"

"Which was when?"

"Almost all the time from about five and a half years ago, when my feelings for you moved on from being a crush to something stronger" Harry replied truthfully "We've been so blind haven't we?"

"Hmm" Nikki nodded, running her fingers lightly over his chest in random patterns "You know, you're the only man who has respected me, in bed and out of it"

"Nikki let's not talk about.."

"Yes we are" Nikki interrupted him forcibly and Harry sighed, running one hand through her hair as she spoke "All the other men just wanted me for sex and that's it, but you, you love me"

"Yes I do, very much" Harry agreed "More than you can ever know"

"and you respect me for being me as well, you don't want to change me"

"You're perfect the way you are Nikki" Harry whispered and Nikki smiled slightly into his chest when she heard him say that "and don't let anyone else tell you any differently"

"Thank you Harry" Nikki murmured, letting out a contented sigh as Harry continued to stroke her hair gently. "I love you"

"I love you"

"Hmm, must you walk around the house totally naked?" Harry asked Nikki as he walked into the kitchen and wrapped his arms around her from behind. "I find you even more irresistible than normal"

"I have a dressing gown on, so technically I'm not naked" Nikki replied, trying to keep a straight face and not giggle.

"Well it's not leaving much to the imagination is it?" Harry smirked as he glanced down at the garment that wasn't even done up, just slung over her and almost forgotten about. "What am I going to do with you?"

"Make passionate love to me up against the fridge?" Nikki suggested eagerly as she turned in his arms, raising an eyebrow at his own appearance as he chuckled. "And you can't talk" she indicated to his boxers, which were the only thing that he had one.

"At least I'm not naked"

"Well that is very unfortunate, maybe we can remedy that"

"Maybe we can" Harry nodded, kissing her roughly and making her moan. However they both broke away from each other when they heard Harry's mobile ring, knowing that it had to be important for that to go off.

"Go get it" Nikki told him softly, pushing him away gently, a smile on her face "I'll still be here when you get back"

"You better be" Harry replied, stealing another kiss before turning and walking through to the living room to answer his ringing phone.

* * *

**Harry is finally free! :D I know this is meant to be a fanfic about him being injured and blah blah blah, but people wanted Harry and Nikki's trip to Rome/proposal as well and who am I to deny you that? **

**xxx**


	43. Chapter 43

"Nikki get dressed" Harry told his lover urgently as he rushed back into the kitchen "Now"

"Wha..why?" Nikki asked quickly as she turned away from the freshly boiled kettle "What's wrong?"

"It's mum, she's been taken to hospital. Suspected heart attack" Harry called back as he practically ran from the kitchen and up the stairs to the bedroom. It took Nikki a few seconds for what Harry had said to sink in, but as soon as it did she was rushing out of the room after him.

"Harry calm down" Nikki told her lover as he paced the hospital waiting room nervously "You're not doing her any favours by worrying"

"I can't" Harry whispered a reply, shaking his head and running one hand through his hair "She can't die"

"She'll be..."

"Don't Nikki" Harry interrupted her and Nikki sighed "You heard the doctors, they said critical. She can't die, she's my mum"

Nikki remembered saying exactly the same thing when her own mother had died. She had been sitting by the bed, holding the older blonde woman's hand as her mother talked to her about going to heaven, saying that she would soon be with her own father, Nikki's grandfather, and she would be able to look down on Nikki as she grew up into a beautiful woman. Younger Nikki had tried not to cry, but at just thirteen she was terrified. Her mother couldn't leave her, she was always meant to be there for her, a rock for when she grew up and hit hard times, someone to help and give advice when she got her first boyfriend, when she first wanted sex, when she got married and had babies. But that had been stripped away from her, and all she had was a lousy father who didn't care. Sure, she and her mother had had their disagreements, but Nikki loved her more than anything.

Back in the waiting room Nikki became conscious of tears slipping quietly down her face and she quickly wiped them away, turning away from Harry so he couldn't see them.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Harry asked softly as he saw Nikki wipe her face. So much for being discreet.

"Nothing"

"Nikki, please"

"I was just thinking about my mum" Nikki told him truthfully "When she died, she told me that she would be in Heaven looking down on me, helping me. Do you think that's true?"

"I think...she's so proud of you" Harry smiled at his lover as he sat down next to her and drew her into his arms, entwining their hands on his lap. He decided for the diplomatic approach. "Wherever she is I'm sure she is immensely proud of the beautiful, intelligent woman that you are. Just like she would be if she was still alive"

"I'm sorry, this is about your mum not mine" Nikki sniffed, wiping her face free from tears and taking a deep breath as Harry kissed her forehead gently.

"You can talk about it if you want, it will keep my mind off everything"

"I miss her a lot sometimes" Nikki continued in a whisper "I often wonder if I would have turned out like I am..was..if she was still alive?"

"What you were?"

"With all the men" Nikki elaborated for him and Harry made a noise in the back of his throat when he heard this, he hated talking about them. "I wonder sometimes if I had someone who I could have talked to properly about men and relationships, if I would have had all of those men. She could have helped me and told me how inappropriate they all were. She wasn't like I made out she was, I was angry when I said all those other things when we had that argument" she sniffed and wiped her face again "She was an amazing mother, she had to put up with a lot. I wasn't an easy child at the best of times"

Harry chuckled when he heard this and shrugged.

"I'm not surprised" he laughed and Nikki giggled tearfully "Carry on"

"and with dad being like he was, I'm surprised that she didn't break. I tried to be good, but I was young, I didn't understand or see the tensions between them both"

"I take it you were the type of girl who instead of wearing pretty little dresses, you wore shorts and ran around playing in the mud and getting as dirty as possible"

"Yes I was" Nikki nodded, a grin lighting up her face.

"I do hope our daughters are like you" Harry whispered suddenly and Nikki looked up at him in shock "If we have any of course, we could have boys. But I do hope we have at least one little girl"

"So she can be your little princess?"

"Yes, you caught me" Harry chuckled and Nikki giggled quietly and leant up to kiss him fully on the lips "I would spoil her rotten"

"I have no doubt about that" Nikki whispered against his lips before she drew away and smiled sadly "Mum would have liked you a lot"

"I'm not surprised, what isn't there to like?"

Nikki rolled her eyes at her lover as he laughed quietly.

"Seriously, she would have adored you. Especially when you make me so happy"

"I'm glad about that" Harry murmured, placing his hand on her cheek and rubbing it gently with his thumb, leaning down to kiss her again. "Maybe she's looking down and approving of us right now"

"Maybe" Nikki nodded, leaning in to kiss him once more, glad that Harry understood. He wasn't the most religious person in the world, and flatly refused to believe in an afterlife, but hearing him talk about her mother like that soothed her. "However I do hope that she's not viewing out particularly illicit activities"

Harry looked extremely shocked and repulsed by the idea, the look on his face making Nikki giggle loudly. However before she could say anything, the door opened and Dr Carnegie, the doctor in charge of Harry's mother, walked in.

"How is she?" Harry asked instantly, standing up and gripping Nikki's hand tightly as she did the same.

"Not too good I'm afraid Harry" Dr Carnegie sighed and Harry gripped Nikki's hand even tighter. "We've made her comfortable"

"No" Harry shook his head, tears welling up in his eyes "Do _something_"

"We can't, I'm sorry" the doctor apologised and Nikki felt a lump rise in her throat as Harry let out a loud sob. He was always so strong.

"Can..can we see her?"

"Of course, right this way" Dr Carnegie nodded, leading them out of the room, Nikki following quickly and practically dragging Harry along with her.

"Mum" Harry whispered as he walked into the room to see Anne lying in the middle of the bed, connected to all sorts of machines and tubes, looking as pale as the white sheets behind her.

"Harry dear" the older woman smiled as her son reached for her hand and gripped it gently "and Nikki" her eyes seemed to light up a bit more when she saw her son's lover. "How are you both?"

"We're fine Anne" Nikki responded for the both of them and the older woman nodded and turned back to her son, who for once in his life was lost for words.

"Apparently the diagnosis isn't good"

"You'll be fine" Harry told her but Anne shook her head.

"Don't fool yourself Harry, I'm dying"

"No you're.." Harry whispered, holding back tears as he spoke. Anne patted the bed next to her and indicated for Nikki to sit there. The pathologist did and took Harry's free hand in hers, squeezing it gently. "You can't"

"We all have a time Harry, and this is mine" his mother told him, reaching up and moving some of his hair away from his face "You're such a handsome man Harry, just like your father. But that's all you have from him, just your looks, and you are going to make an excellent husband to this young woman here" she motioned to Nikki and she flushed, holding back tears at the same time. "And an excellent father to your children"

"Mum please" Harry begged, his voice breaking and tears slipping down his face "I need you with me"

"You have Nikki now" Anne replied, her eyes glazing over with tears which she blinked away. Nikki bit her lip to stop herself letting out a sob, it was like the older woman was giving them her permission. "and I know you will make her the happiest woman alive. Now I'm not going to go just yet, so you go and get a drink, I need to speak with Nikki alone"

"But.."

"No buts Harry" his mother interrupted and Nikki wondered what the older woman wanted to talk to her about. "Go and get something to drink, I'm not finished just yet"

"Okay" Harry nodded, standing up and pressing a kiss onto his mother's cheek, before turning to Nikki and kissing her lips, lingering longer than normal. He then turned and walked out of the room, reaching up to wipe his face as he did so.

"Nikki dear you have a love struck look on your face" Anne chuckled and Nikki flushed, turning back to the older woman and grinning slightly.

"I've never known a man quite like your son" she confessed and Anne smiled proudly. "He's such a gentleman, and he's absolutely perfect. You should be proud of him"

"I am" Anne nodded, her smile growing "You should have heard him over the years, talking about you. I knew he was in love before he did, a few _years_ before he did actually. Every conversation about work seemed to end up talking about this 'wonderful, intelligent, beautiful, stubborn Dr Nikki Alexander' and I couldn't wait to meet the woman that had stolen my little boy's heart"

Nikki blushed when she heard this and a small giggle escaped her mouth. Anne reached over and gripped her hand gently in hers and Nikki squeezed it back.

"You'll look after him won't you?"

"Of course I will" Nikki nodded, blinking away tears when she saw the pleading look in Anne's eyes "I've been looking after him for almost six years"

Both women laughed when she said that and a few tears dribbled down Nikki's cheeks, which she wiped away quickly.

"I mean it, you will be an excellent wife and mother" Anne continued, and Nikki realised that her free hand had made its way to her stomach. She quickly removed it and gripped the duvet next to her.

"We've started trying" Nikki told her suddenly and Anne's eyes lit up, a grin forming on her face "We think that it's time we did something that we both want, rather than waiting for something to intervene. With our track record it'll be ten years before we start having them if we wait. So we're not"

Anne chuckled and nodded when she heard this, knowing that it was completely true.

"and I might not even get pregnant straight away, it might be few months or even a few years"

"I recon under a year" Anne told her with a smile "You'll have a baby in no time"

"I'm scared" Nikki whispered, biting her lip to stop herself crying "Of being a mother, I don't have mine to ask for advice, but I thought you.." she trailed off and shook her head.

"Nikki I know it will come naturally to you" Anne murmured "I was scared too, even more so when I first felt Harry move because then it became all too real that I was having a baby. But once you get over the fear, the emotions you get every time the baby moves, or you touch your bump, they never stop. And once you hold your baby for the first time, the emotions are overwhelming"

Nikki nodded and some tears leaked from her eyes.

"Harry will be with you every step of the way, I know it, including the delivery. Edward wasn't allowed in with me, it was entirely different back then"

Nikki felt ill at even the thought of delivering a baby without Harry's help.

"You'll be fantastic parents, I can promise you that"

"Thank you" Nikki whispered and Anne nodded, closing her eyes slightly and sighing.

"Harry love" Anne murmured a few hours later, she had got steadily weaker as the hours progressed and both pathologists knew that she didn't have long left.

"I'm here" Harry replied, taking her hand in his and giving her a small smile, despite the fact that he was breaking up inside. "What is it?"

"Don't mourn me, please" she whispered "I've had a good life.."

"You're still too young"

"Harry don't interrupt me, it's rude" Anne told him and Nikki couldn't help but giggle at the slightly putout look on Harry's face. "Thank you, now don't mourn me. I don't want you losing sight of what is important" she motioned to Nikki and the pathologist reached over and took the older woman's hand in hers, her other finding Harry's. "That's Nikki and the pack of children that I know you both want"

Both pathologists chuckled, the older woman was right.

"Take..care of..him..Nikki" Anne whispered, her breathing becoming laboured and Nikki nodded, wiping her face quickly and returning her hand to Harry's. "and I know..you're..going to..Rome in a few..days..don't put it..of just..because of me..promise me..you won't..because Harry, you need to..." she trailed off, knowing her son would understand what she meant.

"We promise" Harry nodded quickly, his voice breaking as he spoke.

"I love..you..Harry"

"I love you too mum" Harry smiled tearfully at her "Thank you for everything, I know it hasn't been easy and I know I can't express my thanks enough, but.."

"I know" Anne nodded, smiling as she reached up and ran one hand weakly through her little boy's hair, her smile growing slightly as he leant into her touch, just like he used to do when he was younger.

Nikki then felt Anne's grip loosen on her hand and bit her lip as the machines next to the bed flat lined. She closed her eyes and forced away tears, opening them again as Harry let out a loud cry that sounded like a wounded animal. She was instantly on her feet and next to him as doctors and nurses rushed into the room. Nikki wrapped her arms around him and Harry turned to bury his face in her stomach, his body shaking as he cried into her body, gripping at her blouse like his life depended on it. Nikki felt her own tears streaming down her face as she stroked Harry's hair gently, pressing kisses onto the top of his head and telling him it was going to be okay. It felt abnormal doing this to Harry, when it was normally her breaking down, he was the strong one.

* * *

**Yes I'm mean...but that's how I roll :)**

**xxx**


	44. Chapter 44

"Here" Nikki whispered as she held out a mug of coffee to Harry. They had been home barely half an hour, two hours since Harry's mother had passed away, and he had just sat in silence, staring at the same spot on the carpet. However when he heard Nikki's soft voice, he looked up at her and sighed, reaching out for the coffee. Instead of drinking it though, he put the mug on the table and then reached out for Nikki, taking her wrist in his hand and then pulling her gently onto his lap, wrapping his arms around her. "How are you doing?"

"I don't know" Harry replied truthfully, rubbing her back in smooth motions as he spoke "Better because you're here, thank you for everything"

"I haven't done anything"

"You're here" Harry told her simply "That's all I need"

Nikki smiled softly at him and leant over to press her lips to his, meaning to pull away again just as quickly, but Harry reached up and cupped the back of her head in his hand, keeping her up against him as he attempted to deepen the kiss. Nikki ran one hand up his chest and then to his shoulder, before running it through his hair as Harry trailed his other hand up the back of her blouse and to her bra strap.

"Don't" Nikki whispered as she broke the kiss, reaching behind her to remove Harry's hand as she shook her head. "This isn't what you need"

"I need _you_, you're all I need" Harry replied, attempting to kiss her again. Nikki just pulled away and shook her head again. "Nikki?"

"No Harry" she told him forcibly, trying to ignore the feel of his slight arousal on her leg. "I know you want to forget, trust me I understand, but this isn't the way"

"I _want_ to make love to you" Harry hissed, gripping Nikki's arms tightly in his grip and making her gasp in pain.

"Harry stop it" Nikki whimpered, trying to move her arms from his hands. Harry just leant forward and crashed his lips onto hers. "Harry you're hurting me"

This brought Harry back to Earth and he quickly moved away from her, taking his hands away from her arms and shaking his head.

"Oh God" he murmured as he saw the tears in Nikki's eyes and the handprints on her arms "Oh God I'm sorry" he let out a small sob and Nikki shook her head.

"Harry calm down it's alright" Nikki soothed, she hadn't been scared of him. She knew that he wouldn't have done anything without her permission.

"I hurt you"

"Harry, stop it now" Nikki told him, turning his face forcibly so he was looking her in the eye "You didn't hurt me, you're upset I understand"

"Doesn't make it okay" Harry whispered, shaking his head "I could have done something..worse to you"

"Like what?" Nikki asked and Harry shook his head "You think you would have _raped _me"

Harry nodded and tears slipped down his face.

"You don't have it in you to do anything like that to anyone, let alone me" Nikki told him, pressing her lips to his, trying to soothe and reassure him. "You're upset Harry and for a very good reason, I understand, you just said that because you're upset"

"I love you"

"I love you" Nikki nodded, kissing his forehead as Harry closed his eyes and leant into her touch, letting out a sigh. Nikki reached up and gently ran her fingers through his hair, pressing small kisses to the top of his head as she felt Harry's body shaking slightly. "I've called Leo, he and Janet send their condolences"

"Thank you" Harry sniffed "This makes a change doesn't it?" he chuckled suddenly "Normally it's me comforting you"

"Cheeky" Nikki giggled and Harry sighed, breathing in her comforting smell as he pressed small kisses to the skin that was exposed above her blouse. Nikki shivered slightly at the touch and Harry smiled into her chest as he reached up to undo another button, kissing the newly exposed skin. "Harry, no"

"I love you and I want you" Harry told her, continuing to kiss her skin, making his way up to Nikki's neck and Nikki leant her head back involuntarily, giving him better access. "Mum wouldn't want me to put my life on hold, and we might be making a baby. She would have wanted that"

"You're very persuasive" Nikki giggled, running one hand through his hair and moaning as he licked and kissed at the sensitive spot on her neck. "Sure you want this? You're not just..grieving? I mean she only passed away a few hours ago"

"It'll probably hit me later, but right now I want you"

"You're going to make love to me right?" Nikki asked, gasping as Harry pressed one hand to her centre through her jeans, pressing slightly with one finger and making Nikki arch into him.

"Yes, God yes Nikki I'm going to make love to you right here" Harry breathed against her neck, quickly turning them over so Nikki was laying under him on the sofa, her arms on his shoulders as she licked her lips "I'm going to make love to you slowly and I'm going to have you panting, screaming and moaning for me to fuck you". Nikki moaned at his words and gasped when he started to kiss her neck again "Would you like that?"

"Yes" Nikki nodded vigorously, running one hand through Harry's hair and pressing him closer to her neck as he continued to lick and kiss at her skin.

However the phone rang suddenly and Harry stopped what he was doing, both of them breathing heavily as the shrill noise rang around the room.

"God damn it" Harry hissed angrily, climbing off Nikki and snatching the phone from the table next to them. Nikki sat up slightly against the pillows behind her as Harry answered the phone, a frustrated look on his face as he spoke. "Yes? It's for you" he told Nikki quickly, holding the phone out to her before storming from the room.

Nikki sighed and shook her head, holding the phone to her ear.

"Hello?"

"_Nikki it's your dad, please don't hang up"_

"I'm not going to hang up dad" Nikki replied quietly, a bit shocked that her father was ringing her, but glad all the same, Anne's death had shaken her more than she let on and it was nice to talk to a parent. Even if he was a complete git. "What..are you okay?"

"_I'm fine Niks"_ Victor told her _"How have you been?"_

"I've been better"

_"What's wrong?"_

"Harry's mum just passed away a few hours ago" Nikki whispered, her eyes filling with tears as she heard something hit a wall upstairs and smash. "It was a shock"

_"I'm sorry, this is a bad time"_ Victor apologised but Nikki shook her head and wiped the tears from her cheeks.

"No it's not. What do you want dad?"

_"Can I see you? Is this a bad time?"_

"No it's fine" Nikki responded again, sitting up and swinging her legs over the side of the sofa and then standing up. "Actually, could you wait a few hours? I need to talk to Harry"

_"Of course Niks. How about three hours in that little cafe we used to go to?"_

"I'll be there dad" Nikki nodded "I promise"

_"Okay, see you there"_

Victor then hung up the phone and Nikki wiped her face again, putting the phone back on the table and standing up. She then walked out of the room and up the stairs to the bedroom where she knew Harry was.

"Harry sweetheart?" Nikki asked quietly as she opened the door and saw Harry sat on the bed, legs drawn up to his chest and tear tracks on his face. She felt like crying as well, but held herself together as she made her way over to the bed, climbing on next to her lover and wrapping her arms around his shoulders. "It's alright" she soothed, rubbing his arm gently as he cried into her chest. "Everything's going to be fine"

"I love you" Harry whispered into her shoulder as he took a deep breath and tightened his grip on her "So so much, you're all I need"

"I love you" Nikki nodded, pressing her lips to the top of his head "Always"

"Was that your dad on the phone?"

"Hmm" Nikki replied with another small nod "Doesn't matter, he just wants to meet up later on"

"You're going?"

"Yes" Nikki responded "I need to see him, after everything that's happened. He's my dad, I'll give him one more chance"

"You always do Nikki" Harry told her, moving away from her slightly and making her look him in the eye "You always give him one more chance, then another one and then another one, it will just keep going Nikki. And every time he lets you down I have to pick up the pieces and I don't want to see you like that again"

"He's my father" Nikki whispered "I need to talk to him, make things better"

"You don't need him Nikki, you have me and you have Leo and you have Janet" Harry murmured, leaning forward to kiss her as he wiped her face free of fallen tears. "Please, I don't want to see you lost and broken like every other time"

"I'll be fine Harry" Nikki promised him with a nod and a small tearful smile "I won't be long"

Harry looked her in the eye, seeing nothing but truth there. He nodded and kissed her gently again.

"Okay"

"Think you can wait to make love to me?" Nikki giggled and Harry smiled, shrugging slightly, smirking slightly as his lover ran her hand gently over his crotch.

"I'm sure I can" he nodded and Nikki kissed him.

"Well I do have three hours until I'm meant to be meeting him" she whispered against his lips.

* * *

**Now, should Nikki make up with her father permanently or not? and do you want nice or nasty Victor when the time comes? I've already written their first encounter but if you want anything after they come back from Rome that would be okay.**

**xxx**


	45. Chapter 45

"Damn you Harry" Nikki hissed later on as she pulled on her clothes after a quick shower "You said you were going to make love to me, fingers and tongues is not making love"

Harry chuckled at her forwardness and sat up, the sheet pooling around his waist as he ran his eyes over Nikki's half naked body, his own reacting to her already.

"Rome Nikki" Harry grinned and Nikki glared at him as she pulled her bra on.

"You still want to go?" she asked quietly, standing up and grabbing a clean pair of jeans.

"Of course, mum said she didn't want me to put my life on hold" Harry responded with a shrug, never once taking his eyes off Nikki's perfect body. "Knowing her she would come back and haunt us if we don't go because we promised her. We can go to Rome, we can make love as much as we can, and I can forget _everything _apart from you"

Nikki observed him closely for a few seconds as she nodded slowly, reaching into one of the drawers and pulling out a t-shirt.

"If you think it's best"

"It is" Harry nodded, laying back down on the bed and watching as his lover dressed herself.

"Do you mind me going to see dad? I mean after everything that's happened in the last few hours?"

"I need some time on my own" Harry told her with a sad smile "You go and speak to your dad"

"Thank you. I'll see you later" Nikki smiled, leaning over him and kissing him gently, smirking into the kiss as she cupped him through the sheet, feeling him hardening quickly in her hands. Harry moaned and tried to pull her down onto the bed but Nikki broke the kiss and shook her head, squeezing him once more before moving away from him. "I love you"

"I love you too" Harry replied shakily, smirking suddenly as his hand moved down to his crotch under the sheet and Nikki licked her lips. "Thought you were going"

"I am" Nikki nodded, turning and walking quickly from the room and trying to get her thoughts away from what Harry was doing, wondering if it was a good idea to leave him alone just a few hours after his mother had died.

"Nikki sweetheart you look great" Victor grinned when he caught sight of his daughter walking over to the table he was sitting at in the cafe. Nikki smiled at him and was shocked when he wrapped his arms around her, hugging her gently. She hugged him back and couldn't help but notice how well he looked, better than the last time she had seen him. "How are you?"

"I'm fine dad" Nikki replied, sitting down opposite him and shrugged her jacket off "How have you been?"

"Better than I have in a long time"

"You look it" Nikki nodded, meaning every word and the smile she got from her father made her realise that what she said was the right answer.

"I've been trying to change Nikki" Victor told her and she sighed, she'd heard this before "I know you probably don't believe me, and trust me I understand. But I've realised how much of your life I have missed because I was a stupid, reckless prick"

"That's just some of the names I can call you" Nikki responded dryly and ordered a coffee when the waitress came over. "You mean it? Because I want to believe you dad, I mean with everything that happened with Harry's mum, it was so sudden, and if anything...I want to believe you" she repeated and Victor nodded, a smile on his face.

"Are you and Harry together then?"

"Yes" Nikki nodded, a smile breaking over her face "Six weeks now, well six years really but six weeks officially"

"He's good for you, I saw it as soon as I saw you two working together. I knew he would make you happy"

"He does dad, more than anything" Nikki replied, flicking her hair over her shoulder. Her father however was quiet for some time and Nikki frowned. "What's wrong?"

"I need your help"

'Great' Nikki thought as she sat back in the chair and bit her lip. She had wondered when those words were going to be spoken. Had she been so stupid to believe that he had changed? "What now?"

"A few months ago I had a..uh..encounter with a young woman" Victor told her nervously and Nikki glared at him.

"Let me guess, younger than me?"

"I'm not proud of it Nikki"

"I'm sure you're bloody not" Nikki muttered bitterly, going to grab her handbag and stand up. Her father quickly reached over and rested his hand on her arm, shaking his head.

"Please Nikki hear me out"

"Hurry up" she snapped, sitting back again "I need to get back to Harry to see how he is"

Harry could take care of himself perfectly adequately but her father didn't need to know that.

"She got pregnant"

"_What?" _Nikki screeched, drawing attention from people at other tables. She glanced at them and then leant forward on the table. "What do you mean she got pregnant?" she hissed.

"I mean..."

"I don't want any of your smart arsed answers either" she snapped quickly "It's yours?"

"Yes" Victor nodded and Nikki sat back on the chair, shaking her head and sighing in exasperation.

"I don't...this is wrong even for you"

"She doesn't want the child" her father then told her "She's giving it to me when it's born.."

Nikki tried not to flinch when he called the unborn child 'it', wondering if that's how he referred to her before she was born.

"But I can't raise a child"

"So..." Nikki shrugged "What do you..." she trailed off as her father looked hopefully at her. "Oh no" she shook her head and smirked, grabbing her handbag again. "You're not dumping your problems and mistakes on me"

"But you and Harry you're happy together, yes?" Victor asked quickly, trying to get his daughter to sit down. "You can..."

"No we are not raising _your_ child" Nikki snapped as she stood up and flung her bag over her shoulder "When Harry and I have children they will be ours and they will be loved, not mistakes that we shove off on someone else"

She then turned and stormed out of the cafe, trying to stem the tears that clouded her vision as she walked into the street, her father's pleas falling on deaf ears.

"How was your father?" Harry asked later that evening as they lay in bed together. Nikki had avoided any sort of conversation about her meeting by going straight upstairs and having a long soak in the bath. Harry had thought this odd, but then remembered that Nikki was a woman, men just didn't understand their actions most of the time. Nikki didn't reply to his question, just curled up in a tighter ball and pulled the duvet further up their bodies. "Nikki?"

"Don't want to talk about it"

"Nikki..."

"Harry I said I don't want to talk about it" she snapped at him and Harry frowned at her in the darkness, she never used that tone with him. "Just leave it alone"

"Okay" Harry nodded, leaning down and kissing her on the forehead before resting his head on her pillow and pulling her closer slightly. Nikki however reached up and tried to discreetly wipe away the tears that were falling down her face. Harry wasn't stupid though and knew when Nikki was upset. He rolled her over and sighed when he saw the tears on her face. "Sweetheart please"

"Can't" Nikki shook her head "You've got enough on your plate"

"Nikki it's upsetting you, please tell me, it will help. You know I hate seeing you upset" Harry whispered, stroking her hair slightly as he spoke, trying to calm her down.

"Just dad being dad" Nikki murmured, reaching up to wipe her face "He wanted to meet me for his own means"

"As usual" Harry muttered to himself but Nikki heard and nodded slightly, sighing quietly. "What did he want?"

Nikki glanced at him and shook her head, giving him a small smile.

"You've got enough on your plate" she repeated "You don't need my _family _problems as well"

"Nikki I love you, you're my family and I hope that I'm yours..."

"You are" Nikki interrupted, nodding quickly, leaning up and kissing him gently and placing her hand on his cheek. "Trust me you are the only family I have now, apart from Janet and Leo"

"Your father..."

"Can rot in hell for all I care" Nikki whispered, before turning over in the bed and signalling the end of the conversation.

* * *

**Yeah I'm evil :) You wanted horrible Victor so you have him..kind of..he'll be back after their holiday for a bit...if you want more that is...yes/no?**

**xxx**


	46. Chapter 46

Harry was unusually quiet the next morning while they were getting dressed and then having breakfast. Nikki however let him brood, he had a lot on his mind considering he had just lost his mother, but he knew she was there if he needed to talk or to cry. She also had a lot on her mind, everything her father had told her the night before kept going round and round in her head, she had told herself to ignore it and had been doing quite well, focussing more on Harry and his pain. This oddly made her feel better, having someone to care for. Nikki wandered around the kitchen with a mug of coffee in her hands, waiting for the toast to pop out of the toaster, Harry sitting at the kitchen table with a mug of coffee in front of him on the table, staring into it like it held the answer to life itself. However when Nikki walked past Harry once more when the toaster pinged, he reached out and quickly wrapped one arm around her waist, pulling her onto his lap and making Nikki giggle slightly as she pushed her hair away from her face.

"I'm sorry for being a moody bastard"

"Harry you're not a moody bastard, you've just lost your mother, you're upset" Nikki told him kindly, kissing him gently on the lips and making him smile. "I'd be worried if you weren't a little bit quiet"

"Why are you so brilliant?" Harry whispered as he pulled her head down again so he could kiss her, more passionately this time, Nikki turning on his lap so she was straddling him as Harry deepened the kiss, running his hands down her back and over her bum, pulling her even closer. Nikki moaned into his mouth and ran her hands through his hair, messing it up even more and tugging at it slightly when Harry ran one hand up the front of her skirt and began to massage one of her thighs. She couldn't help but arch into his hand slightly as they continued to kiss, his hand never moving any higher. They broke away from each other when they realised oxygen was needed, but Nikki soon kissed Harry again, neither of them wanting to lose any contact with the other for more than a few seconds.

"I love you" Harry murmured through the kiss, before breaking it and kissing his way down Nikki's neck and to her shoulder, pushing aside her blouse and kissing and nibbling at her shoulder, making her gasp with each new sensation it caused her.

"I love you" Nikki nodded, running one hand through Harry's hair and pressing him closer to her skin as he removed his hand from her thigh and wrapped his arm around her back. Both of them knew that the moment wasn't meant for them to go any further than kissing.

"You're so beautiful and sexy" Harry told her as he moved away from her shoulder and smirked when he saw the mark that he had made "Whoops" he said sarcastically and Nikki did a double take as she looked down at her shoulder.

She rolled her eyes and tugged her blouse up a bit higher, shaking her head as Harry chuckled and smiled proudly at her, leaning back in his chair and resting his hands on her hips.

"You've never marked me before" Nikki giggled and continued to run one hand through his hair, the other resting on his chest as she stayed straddling him.

"I didn't mean to"

Nikki gave him an incredulous look and Harry looked back innocently.

"Okay so maybe I did" he chuckled and Nikki grinned, leaning down to kiss him before attempting to climb off his lap. "I don't think so Nicola".

Harry wrapped his arms tightly around her and pulled her back down again, making Nikki laugh loudly and shake her head.

"Harry, I have to go to work"

"_We_ have to go to work" her lover corrected her and Nikki frowned "I know what you're going to say Nikki, and I want to work, it will keep my mind off things"

"Working around dead people will keep your mind off it?"

"I was thinking more of the fact that I will be with you all day as opposed to moping around here on my own" Harry shrugged and Nikki rolled her eyes "Can you come to the funeral directors with me at lunch? I know we're still going to Rome but I want to sort it out before we go" he added quietly, fiddling with a strand of Nikki's hair. They had promised Anne that they would still go for their holiday, and neither of them was going to break that promise.

"Of course I can, I wasn't going to let you go alone anyway" Nikki smiled at him, running one hand through his hair as she spoke. "Do you know what she wanted?"

"Something quiet" Harry responded "Just a few friends and family" he paused and shook his head, a sad smile on his face "When I say family I mean me, because I'm the only one left" he whispered the last part and looked away from his lover so she didn't see the tears in his eyes as that reality hit him.

"Harry look at me" Nikki said softly, turning his face so he was looking at her "What was it you told me a few days ago? You have me and you have Leo and Janet as well, we're your family aren't we?"

"Yeah" Harry nodded, a genuine smile gracing his face as he leant forward and kissed Nikki on the lips. "I love you so much"

"I love you more" Nikki whispered against his lips and Harry shook his head.

"Not possible, I love you more"

Nikki giggled loudly and kissed her lover again, pressing herself closer to him and wrapping her arms around his neck.

After a long discussion with Leo, Harry had been allowed to stay at work. The older man had been worried about his friend and had told him to have as much time off as he wanted. Harry however had argued with him and said he needed to work, which caused Leo to look at Nikki for help, the blonde pathologist had however just shrugged and shook her head. Leo had then let Harry stay, after warning him that there was a meeting with the coroner that morning. Harry had joked about going home.

"Is he alright?" Leo asked Nikki when Harry had walked from the office, on orders to go and get coffee from Starbucks across the road.

"He's being Harry" Nikki shrugged, running one hand through her hair as she spoke. "Anne only died yesterday but he's acting like it's alright. I mean he has cried, and then he's done the whole quiet thing, and then he's fine again. He just needs some time"

"He'll be fine, you're there for him of course. So am I if he needs to talk"

"Thanks Leo, I'll tell him" Nikki smiled "We're going to the funeral directors at lunch today"

"I'll expect a moody Harry this afternoon then"

"I'll see what I can do" Nikki replied, then flushed when she realised how that sounded. Leo however didn't seem to realise what cheering Harry up entailed and just nodded at her.

Nikki was extremely frustrated for two reasons. One, she was stuck in a long meeting with the coroner, a middle aged man who obviously jerked off over his job. And two, Harry was sitting next to her gently rubbing her thigh through her skirt, he didn't even seem to know he was doing it. Nikki shifted slightly in her seat and was glad that nothing that was going on in their laps could be seen from the front of the room. She smirked to herself as she leant forward, her hand snaking over to Harry's crotch and squeezing him gently, making Harry gasp in surprise. Without looking at him, she slowly unbuttoned his jeans and undid the zip, hearing Harry hold back a moan as she slipped her hand inside his jeans and began to massage him.

"Nikki" Harry whispered, leaning forward and arching into her hand slightly. Nikki applied some more pressure and Harry's grip on her thigh tightened. She continued to massage his growing erection, seriously turned on by the fact that if either the coroner or Leo looked at them they would know what the two younger members were doing, just by the fact that Harry had his eyes shut and was trying not to arch into her hand more than necessary.

"Dr Alexander"

"Yes?" Nikki asked quickly, instantly taking her hand away from Harry when the two older men nearer the front of the room turned around.

"You've written a paper about staircase falls, yes?"

"Yes" Nikki nodded, standing up and shooting a quick smirk at Harry who looked like he wanted to grab her and take her there and then on the table. "I wasn't going to finish you anyway" she whispered evilly to Harry as she turned and walked to the front of the room. Harry just sighed and flopped back into the chair, running one hand through his hair and then doing his jeans up while the three other people in the room entered into a conversation.

* * *

**Do you all want some of the story after they get back from Rome as well? Or not? This story was only meant to be about Nikki looking after Harry...but it evolved XD.**

**xxx**


	47. Chapter 47

**Semi-smut and kind of dirty talk in this chapter, nothing too big.**

* * *

"Thank you for going with me" Harry told Nikki that afternoon a few hours after lunch. He hadn't thanked her since they had come back from the funeral directors, having organised his mother's funeral, but Nikki hadn't taken it to heart. He had been quiet since they had got back into the car, answering questions with one or two word answers, but Nikki and Leo had understood and left him to his own devices for the afternoon.

"You're welcome sweetheart" Nikki smiled as she looked up from her paperwork to see Harry looking sadly at her. "Are you alright?"

"I've been better" Harry shrugged, tapping his pen against the desk as he sat back in his chair "But I don't want to talk about it right now"

"Okay" Nikki nodded, smiling at Harry in understanding before turning back to her paperwork.

Harry however didn't like being ignored by his lover, especially after her antics during the meeting that morning. He took a deep breath to try and steady his reaction as he thought about her small but firm hand on his member. He needed her, he needed to be inside her, but he wanted the next time they made love to be in Rome, it wasn't too long away though.

"I can hear the cogs turning" Nikki commented without looking away from the folder in front of her, chewing lightly on the pen and making Harry shift slightly in his chair to get him and his growing problem more comfortable. "What are you thinking about?" she enquired, thinking that Harry was thinking about the funeral and his mother.

"Taking you right here and now on my desk"

Nikki was taken aback slightly. So he wasn't thinking about the funeral. Her mistake.

"I'm sure that wouldn't go down very well" Nikki replied hesitantly, trying to ignore the slight heat pooling in her stomach at Harry's words and the images that came to mind. "and anyway, what happened to Rome?"

Instead of answering straight away, Harry stood up and walked over to her, his, desk, crouching down next to her like he was reading the paperwork strewn over the desk.

"I would really really love to be in you right now Nicola" he whispered to Nikki, one hand snaking over her thigh and massaging it gently over her skirt, making her squirm slightly. "Do you want that?"

Nikki just nodded quickly and slammed the pen down on the table harder than she intended as Harry's hand 'slipped' and brushed quickly against her centre.

"Say it Nicola" Harry murmured and Nikki licked her lips as she turned to look down at her lover, her breath hitching as she saw the love and lust in his eyes. "What do you want?"

Nikki glanced around the lab to make sure the coast was clear, before leaning down and whispering in Harry's ear.

"I want your hard cock in me and I want you to fuck me"

"God Nikki you have no idea how much it turns me on when you speak like that" Harry murmured breathlessly as he grabbed Nikki's hand and practically dragged her from her chair and out of the lab. Nikki giggled as he pushed her quickly into the locker room, closing the door behind them and then dragging her quickly through the room and into the cutting room. Nikki let him lead her, no idea where they were going until Harry quickly led her through the cutting room and into the showers. Harry quickly locked the shower door, knowing that no-one would be using them today as there were no autopsies due.

"So, do you want to wait until Rome?" Nikki asked coyly, gasping slightly as Harry slammed her up against the wall behind her and kissed her roughly. "Thought not"

"You've been teasing me all day" Harry told her, pushing her further into the room so they were hidden from the door in case anyone pressed their faces to the window for any reason. Nikki giggled cheekily at him and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him again as Harry ran his hands down her back and then up the front of her blouse. "You just look at me and I want to have you right where you're standing. How can you do that to me?"

Nikki didn't respond, but a moan escaped from her mouth as Harry kissed and nibbled his way down her neck, unbuttoning her blouse as he did so. He dropped it to the floor and Nikki quickly pushed him away, unbuttoning his shirt quickly and threw it to join her blouse.

"You're so beautiful" Harry whispered as he kissed and licked the top of one of her breasts. Nikki reached behind her and unclipped her bra herself, pulling it away from her body and making Harry pout. "You know I like to undress you"

"Well bloody undress me quicker then" Nikki told him forcibly "It's been so long since I've had you in me properly"

Harry did as he was told, reaching down to unzip Nikki's skirt as he attached his mouth to one of her breasts, running his tongue over it hungry, making Nikki lean her head back against the wall and moan, running her hands through Harry's hair and pulling him closer to her. Her skirt fell to the floor and she stepped out of it, gasping in disappointment when Harry moved away from her and crouched down, reaching for her boots and quickly taking them off before standing up again. Nikki moaned in frustration as she reached down and undid Harry's jeans, pushing them down his legs and letting him push his shoes and socks off and stepping out of the jeans. She licked her lips when she saw his obvious arousal and reached down to run her hands over him, making them both moan. Nikki quickly pushed his boxers down his legs and wrapped one hand around his erection, gaining a moan from her lover as he thrust into her hand slightly.

"Need you in me now Harry" Nikki told him outright, and Harry tore his eyes away from her body and looked her in the eye. He smirked at her and kissed her again, pressing his erection to her centre and making her gasp and arch into him. However he reached down and pressed his hand to her. "_God_ yes" Nikki hissed as he pressed one finger into her quickly "Need..this" she grabbed his erection again "In me now"

Harry was about to comply with her offer when the door handle rattled loudly, signalling that someone wanted to get in.

"For fu.." Harry hissed as the handle rattled once more. Nikki tried to control her breathing as she continued to stroke Harry's member gently.

"Maybe we should give up and wait for Rome" Nikki couldn't help but giggle when the person outside the door refused to give up. Harry looked ready to throttle whoever it was outside the door and took a deep breath, nodding slightly at Nikki's words.

"Fine" he nodded, leaning down and picking up his clothes, putting them in a random open locker and walking into one of the showers. Nikki sighed and bit her lip when she heard the water turn on and a rush of cold air run over her body from the water. She quickly put her clothes back on, trying not to make too much noise and antagonise Harry even more. Whoever it was outside the door had since gone, so Nikki was safe as she walked out of the showers and through the cutting room.

"Are you okay?" Nikki asked Harry later on when she was sitting in bed reading and waiting for Harry to get into bed as well. They had hardly talked since they had got home, Harry having to stay for a few extra hours than Nikki to finish paperwork. "Harry?" she asked again when she didn't get a reply from her lover.

"I'm fine" Harry replied stiffly, not looking at her as he folded a clean shirt up and put it on the chair for the next day.

"No you're not"

"Why did you ask then?"

Nikki didn't reply, just shook her head and sighed loudly, throwing her book on the floor next to the already packed suitcases and lying down in the bed. She heard Harry sigh quietly and then felt pressure behind her as he crawled into bed, wrapping his arm around her waist and pressing himself into her back.

"I'm sorry" he whispered as he kissed her head gently "I shouldn't have snapped"

"I shouldn't have pushed you, not right now when you deserve to be upset"

"I'm not upset anymore" Harry told her, a frown on his face as he continued to rub her stomach absentmindedly "Not about mum, I couldn't have done anything to save her, at least it was natural"

Nikki could hear the sincerity in his voice when he said that, but knew that her death would still be with him until the funeral, until he could say goodbye properly.

"and I was frustrated because I wanted to make love to you so badly"

"I know" Nikki sighed, leaning back into him slightly, his touch on her stomach never letting up. "I think we should wait for Rome, at least there we have only a small chance of being interrupted"

"I think you're right my love" Harry chuckled and Nikki giggled sleepily, closing her eyes and sighing gently.

"You should know by now that I'm always right"

* * *

**Two more days left at school :S happy and scared at the same time.**

**xxx**


	48. Chapter 48

"Good morning" Harry smiled at Nikki the next morning as he walked back into the bedroom to see that his lover was awake. Nikki smiled tiredly at him and yawned, glancing at the time and seeing that it was eight o'clock.

"Morning" she replied, shifting slightly as Harry crawled back onto the bed and kissed her fully on the mouth. "Day off today, then Rome tomorrow"

"What shall we do?" Harry murmured as they continued to kiss lazily, his hand trailing down her body and fiddling with the hem on her pyjama bottoms.

"Sort out the last of the things for Rome?" Nikki told him innocently as she broke the kiss and ran one hand through his hair "Or, you could hurry up and touch me, whatever one takes your fancy"

Harry didn't need telling twice, he quickly through the duvet cover from them both and pulled Nikki's pyjama bottoms and knickers down her legs, making her giggle at his enthusiasm. She propped herself up on some more pillows and hissed slightly in pleasure as Harry began to tease her, running one finger over her aching centre and looking her in the eye. He moved up her body and kissed her gently again, still teasing her and making Nikki gasp and moan quietly into the kiss. Harry pressed one finger into her, the rest of his hand teasing the rest of her centre and making her arch up into him slightly.

"Like that?"

"Hmm" Nikki nodded into the kiss as the pressure began to build a bit more. She trailed one hand down her body and began to rub and tease herself as well, loving the sensation of both herself and Harry bringing her slowly closer to the edge. Harry slowed his pace down and Nikki pressed small kisses onto his temple as he continued at his slower pace, adding another finger and making Nikki gasp a bit louder. "Yes right there handsome" she whispered into his neck, arching her hips into his hand slightly "Right there, _God yes" _she gasped as Harry quickened his pace slightly. She could feel herself nearing completion already, however Harry stopped what he was doing and moved down the bed slightly, his mouth joining his fingers as he continued to pleasure her. Nikki couldn't help the low moans and pants that came from her mouth as she automatically parted her legs and brought her hands to Harry's hair, pressing him closer to her as she leant her head back. "Almost..Harry" she panted, gasping as Harry quickened the pace with his tongue. As soon as he did so, her orgasm washed over her, arching into him as she moaned Harry's name, gripping his hair tightly as he continued to tease her through her orgasm. Nikki chuckled weakly when she finally came down from the high and Harry grinned at her, pressing one last kiss to her centre and then moving away from her slightly.

"Thank you"

"For pleasuring you?" Harry chuckled as he rested his hands either side of her chest and looked down at her, an approving look on his face.

"For making me feel loved and wanted and beautiful" Nikki whispered "No-one has ever made me feel like that before, not like you do, and you do it automatically, you don't have to be prompted or..."

Harry leant down and kissed her, silencing anything else she was going to say. He continued his assault on her mouth until he knew she wouldn't continue her tirade.

"I love you" he told her "I'm in love with you, you have no idea how much. I want you more than anything, ever, but having babies with you comes close second" Nikki giggled when she heard this and her stomach fluttered, knowing that Harry was just as excited about the prospect of becoming a dad as she was of becoming a mum. If, or when, the time came. "and you are absolutely stunning" Harry continued, kissing her gently again before moving away and smiling at her, receiving one back.

"Thank you"

"Stop thanking me Nicola" Harry laughed and Nikki giggled loudly, running one hand through her hair. "Do you think you're pregnant yet?"

Nikki rolled her eyes slightly when she heard this, the chances were highly unlikely.

"No"

"Why?"

"Because we've only been making love without protection for about three weeks" Nikki giggled at Harry's enthusiasm, slightly worried that he would be upset that she wasn't pregnant yet.

"Well that's three weeks that we could have made a baby"

Nikki felt that familiar fluttering in her stomach when Harry spoke like that, an adorable smile on his face and his eyes full of hope.

"It's not like we've been at it like rabbits either" Nikki continued with a shrug and Harry smirked at her "But I'm sure there will be a very high chance of me coming back from Rome pregnant isn't there?"

"Most definitely" Harry laughed "And if you're not we'll have to keep trying, it's a lot of fun after all"

"So are you all packed for Rome?" Janet asked that evening as the two women sat in Nikki's living room, a wine bottle on the table in front of them and two half full glasses. They had spent ten minutes talking about Harry and his mother's death, until Nikki banned all talk about it. But not before telling Janet that yes, she and Harry were still going to Rome, on pain of being haunted by his mother if they didn't.

"Just, we finished yesterday. Harry's excuse not to pack before was that it was over twenty four hours until we go" Nikki rolled her eyes and Janet chuckled.

"Men"

"Tell me about it" Nikki giggled "If I left everything to Harry it would all be done last minute, he irons his shirts fifteen minutes before we leave the house in the morning"

"So does Leo" Janet nodded "and they still manage to get ready and to work on time, if I did that I'd be late"

"Probably because we're perfectionists" Nikki laughed and Janet nodded in agreement "Harry runs the iron over it once, sees there are no creases and puts it on. He laughs when I do it because I'm so meticulous apparently"

"They just don't understand" Janet chuckled and Nikki smiled at her friend before taking a large gulp of her wine. The pathologist noticed that something was off with Janet and had been trying to work out what it was for the past fifteen minutes.

"What's wrong?" Nikki finally asked as she downed the rest of her wine and put the empty glass on the table "There's _something_ wrong I can tell"

"I just thought..well Leo and I thought that I'd be pregnant by now" Janet told her friend as she traced the top of the wine glass with her finger. "Something might be wrong, I don't know"

"There's nothing wrong" Nikki comforted Janet "It's probably just taking some time, you can't expect it to be instant"

"Five months Nikki, we've been trying for _five_ months"

"Some people have to wait a bit longer than others" Nikki shrugged "It'll happen, don't worry"

"Theresa had to have IVF, maybe I will as well" Janet muttered sadly, she wanted to conceive naturally.

"It wasn't Leo with the..problem then" Nikki stated and Janet shrugged and sighed, shaking her head and running one hand through her hair. "You'll be fine, you'll have a baby in no time"

"What about you and Harry?" Janet asked, a genuine smile growing on her face "Any luck?"

"Not yet" Nikki laughed and shook her head "We haven't made love properly for a few days now though, almost a week actually"

"And you're coping how?" Janet enquired incredulously, making Nikki giggle and try to look offended.

"You make me and Harry sound like a couple of sex maniacs"

"You are" Janet told her dryly, a smile breaking over her face as Nikki flushed slightly.

"Well I didn't say we weren't allowed to touch" Nikki smirked "We're still waiting for Rome. The amount of times we've almost slipped up though, but we're determined to make it to Rome, but that's only tomorrow"

"and then not leave the hotel room for two weeks"

"Well that's Harry's plan, my plan is to go sightseeing occasionally"

"Just occasionally?" Janet chuckled and Nikki grinned at her as she poured herself another glass of wine.

"Well I can't let the opportunity for a five star hotel room and large on suite bathroom go to waste can I? Especially when Harry' there as well"

"Told you you are both sex maniacs"

"You haven't seen him in bed" Nikki told her friend "You'd be a sex maniac if you had him in bed with you"

"Well I have Leo and that's enough for me, you can keep Harry" Janet laughed, both women feeling the wine going to their heads.

"Good, because I'm definitely keeping him" Nikki giggled, hoping that Harry wanted to keep her as well.

* * *

** I think Rome is the next chapter..or the chapter after I can't remember.**

**xxx**


	49. Chapter 49

Harry was bored. Nikki was in the bath, having banned him from the bathroom completely and telling him that she wanted to have a quick bath without him going in there and disturbing her. They only had three hours until their flight. He didn't have any books to read and he didn't fancy watching the television, so he had gone around tidying up the house. It was already pretty tidy, but he had tidied up anyway, finishing off in the bedroom where he was now sitting on the bed wondering what to do with himself. He spotted one of Nikki's magazines on the bedside table and reached over to pick it up, smirking as he shook his head at the cover of Cosmopolitan. Through utter boredom and a desire to see why Nikki loved this magazine so much, he opened it and began to read through the contents, his smirk growing. Harry then flicked to a page that he thought looked interesting and began to read, surprised to see that Nikki had marked certain places on the page with a small tick.

'_Top ten female sex fantasies'_ Harry read to himself, chuckling slightly as he started to read. A line in the introduction caught his attention. _'__Some women spend just as much time hoping their men will help put their female sex fantasies into practice'._

Harry smirked to himself, he would definitely help Nikki there. _'Domination: Her dominating you'_. There was a tick next to this one and Harry smiled, yes Nikki had dominated him and she was very good at it. He continued to read, suddenly realising that it was written from what looked like a man's point of view.

'_Women love a big strong man who can sweep them off their feet and carry them into the sunset' _

Harry couldn't help the laugh that escaped his mouth when he read that, Nikki would probably murder him if she found out he was reading this.

'_One of the top 10 female fantasies involves tying you down to a bed while she forces you to pleasure her with your tongue; the entire scenario revolves around you worshipping her body and begging for her attention. Why? She gets to be in control while enjoying total devotion from her man in the process. What more could she want?'. _

Harry felt himself getting aroused even imagining this happening, and took a small breath to stop himself. He had taken Nikki to be a closet women's magazine reader, and now that he knew, he would take every opportunity to tease her about it. And to take the magazine's advice. He read on, noticing that the next point had a tick as well.

'_Domination: You dominating her'_, Harry thought to himself as he read it _'This woman fantasizes about you pinning her down, thrusting her thighs apart with your knee and penetrating her as savagely as you possibly can. She wants to feel your fingers snake through her hair and pull her head back; she wants to feel your teeth on her shoulder; she wants to be owned - if only while in the bedroom (after which, she'll want a clear return to equality).'. _

Harry knew Nikki liked it a bit rough and a bit kinky, but he still had no idea how far that went down the scale, he knew he would have to experiment with that. Especially considering Nikki had ticked that particular point. She had missed the next point out and ticked a few more which Harry quickly skimmed over. However he got to point three, which Nikki had ticked, and almost choked on thin air. _'Rape'_ he read to himself in his head, quickly reading the small paragraph underneath it.

'_These female sex fantasies usually involve a gorgeous man carrying her off to his bedroom and quickly getting down to business. She'll protest as he tears her clothing off and expertly arouses her body, but on the inside, she'll love every minute of it. This continues to the point of penetration, and leads her to an incredible orgasm despite her earlier protests. This female sex fantasy allows a woman to be wanton and enjoy sex - something society rarely permits_.'

Harry raised an eyebrow and glanced towards the bedroom door, silently thanking the magazine for telling him something that Nikki was probably too worried to tell him herself. He licked his lips absentmindedly and a smile made its way over his face. He was definitely going to enjoy the trip to Rome. He continued to read the rest of the magazine, getting a good insight into some of the things that Nikki wanted but was too embarrassed or worried to tell him about.

"Nice bath?" Harry asked Nikki fifteen minutes later when she walked into the bedroom with only a towel wrapped around her body, one that left little to the imagination much to Harry's delight.

"It was very nice" Nikki nodded, kicking the bedroom door shut and then undoing the towel, letting it drop to the floor as she walked over to the dressing table to get some clean clothes. Harry felt himself harden slightly as he watched his lover, her beautiful body fully naked in front of him. "Are we going to your house in a minute? I thought you needed to get some things"

"I do" Harry nodded, propping himself up on the pillows behind him and trying to resist the urge to touch himself. He gave up and rubbed himself through his jeans, his breath hitching slightly as Nikki looked up at him and smirked at his actions, turning back to finding some clothes. "my post and some more clothes"

"You know if you want to move in here you can" Nikki told him noncommittally as she pulled on some knickers "I mean if you want to, you don't have to"

"Permanently?" Harry enquired, undoing the buttons on his jeans and pushing them down slightly so he had better access to his member.

"Yes" Nikki nodded, flicking her damp hair over her shoulder and rooting through the drawers for a bra, trying not to look at Harry.

"I would love to" Harry responded and climbed off the bed, Nikki smiling at him over her shoulder. Both of them pretty calm even though they had just taken a huge step in their relationship. "and now I need a shower, at least I will be quicker than you"

"I'm a woman, I'm allowed to take a long time" Nikki replied, poking her tongue out at Harry as he climbed off the bed and pulled his boxers and trousers up again. "and hurry up if we're going to get to the airport on time" she stopped talking as Harry took her hand in his and quickly ran each finger through his mouth, a smirk on his face as Nikki moaned slightly.

"I won't be long" Harry whispered, stealing a quick kiss from his lover before walking from the room and leaving Nikki to try and get her mind back to the present task in hand, getting dressed.

* * *

**No more school! Ever! Apart from exams but that's not the same..it's pretty scary.**

**xxx**


	50. Chapter 50

Nikki was speechless as she stood on the balcony of the room staring over the view of Rome by night. They had just arrived at the hotel and she had instantly opened the doors and stepped onto the balcony, the fresh night air waking her up slightly. She leant on the rail and glanced around, hardly believing that she was actually in Rome, looking over the beautiful city. The five star hotel that she and Harry were staying in was amazing, built a few hundred years beforehand and then converted into a hotel five years ago, it reflected the same designs as most of the old buildings in the city and it was quite small and exclusive. In the distance facing their hotel room Nikki identified the Castel Sant' Angelo, lit up by blazing lights and giving it an eerie glow, the hotel close enough that Nikki could see the Angel that donned the top of it.

"Like it?" Harry asked quietly as he pushed the curtains aside and walked into the balcony to join his lover, wrapping his arms around her waist as she stood up straight.

"I love it" Nikki responded with a grin "It's beautiful, thank you for bringing me here"

"You're welcome gorgeous" Harry smiled as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head "Just wait until we get to explore, I'm sure you've got a list of places that you want to go"

"Of course" Nikki giggled, leaning her head back onto Harry's chest as he stroked her stomach under her light t-shirt, the action sending shivers down her spine. Harry leant his chin on Nikki's shoulder and looked out over the view they had of the city, both of them knowing that it wasn't the right time to jump into bed together, they had two weeks together after all.

"Where is it?"

"One minute" Nikki replied, moving from his arms and walking through into the large hotel room, flicking through her handbag until she pulled out a travel book about Rome that she had been reading on the plane flight. "Here we go"

Harry once again wrapped his arms around her and looked at the book over his lover's shoulder. She had ticked some of the points in the contents page and Harry took the book from her hands, flicking through some of the pages and nodding.

"Anywhere you want to go?" Nikki asked as she stepped forward and leant on the balcony railings, looking more closely at the view in front of them.

"Wherever you want to go is fine" Harry responded and Nikki tutted loudly and shook her head. Turning to him she reached over and pushed him towards the room slightly, a smile on her face.

"Go and read that and see where you want to go, it's your holiday as well as mine"

Harry nodded and leant down to kiss her, telling her that he loved her before turning and walking into the room, leaving the thin curtains open. He climbed into the bed and began to flick through the book, wondering where he would be able to propose to Nikki, he looked at the places that she had ticked, wondering which one was the most appropriate. Then he thought about just blurting the question out, but shook his head, Nikki deserved the proper proposal, not a half hearted blurted question. She needed to know just how much he wanted her as his wife. He wouldn't be doing it straight away, maybe halfway through this week. He had brought the ring a few days before hand while Nikki had been on a morning shift and himself an afternoon. It was gold, with three diamonds across the top, the middle one slightly bigger than the other two. He knew Nikki would love it. He looked up when Nikki wandered back into the room and shut the double doors, pulling the curtains closed. She then walked over to the bed and then climbed onto it next to Harry, looping her arms through one of his and rested her head on his shoulder.

"We're going to have a busy few weeks" Harry chuckled and Nikki grinned him. He leant down and kissed her gently. Nikki yawned as she broke away and Harry smiled at her.

"Sorry"

"It's been a long day, you should go to bed"

"I think that's a good idea" Nikki nodded and climbed off the bed, walking over to the suitcases and bending down to open one of them. "We'll sort the cases out in the morning"

"Think there's enough room in those to take all your clothes?" Harry asked innocently, and Nikki threw him a withering look. Harry returned it and Nikki grinned as she stood up, making her way to the bathroom and walking inside.

"Bloody hell, have you seen this bathroom?" Nikki called through "It's amazing"

Harry chuckled and rolled his eyes, going back to reading the book in his hands.

Nikki woke the next morning to blazing sunshine. She moaned and clamped her eyes shut a bit more, reaching over in the bed for Harry but found the rest of the bed empty. Opening her eyes she sat up slightly and looked around the room, the balcony doors were open but the thin curtains were still closed, a slight gap in them as they swayed in the breeze. She sat up and pushed the duvet aside, climbing out of bed and walking over to the doors, stepping outside into the cool morning air.

"Good morning" she smiled at Harry who was standing on the balcony, leaning against the rail and looking over at the city, an early morning mist laying low.

"Morning" Harry responded, turning and smiling at her, raising his arm and motioning for Nikki to go closer. Nikki did so and Harry kissed her, his lover wrapping her arms around his neck and stepping closer to him.

"What shall we do today?" Nikki asked Harry as she pulled away slightly, running one hand through his already messy hair.

"What time is it?"

"Half past six" Nikki replied, smiling coyly at him "I suppose we could go and attempt to make a baby"

Harry grinned and scooped Nikki quickly into his arms, making her laugh loudly and kiss him as he walked them back into the room quickly depositing Nikki onto the bed.

"I need..to...shower" Nikki told Harry an hour and a half later as they lay in bed kissing lazily, both beyond satisfied.

"Hmm, you smell nice to me" Harry told her before kissing her again, making no attempt to let her off the bed.

"Harry I smell of sex" Nikki giggled as she pushed him away slightly and attempted to climb out from under him. Harry just chuckled and refused to move.

"Very nice" he told her and Nikki rolled her eyes, a smile growing on her face as Harry kissed her again.

"If you want breakfast and a trip out today then I suggest you let me shower, I'm not going out smelling like sex"

"It's sexy" Harry replied truthfully and Nikki flushed slightly.

"We could share the shower" Nikki suggested and Harry was off the bed and dragging her up faster than Nikki had ever seen him move.

"You do realise that it's probably a one hundred percent probability that you will get pregnant on this holiday" Harry told Nikki as they finished getting dressed, having made love once more in the shower.

"Well if you didn't have a sex drive like someone on Viagra" Nikki giggled, pulling her hair into a messy ponytail, some of the shorter curls falling to frame her face.

"You love it"

"Yes I do" Nikki nodded, turning away from the mirror and smiling at Harry who was sitting on the edge of the bed, waiting for her to finish.

"Done?"

"Yes"

"Finally"

"Don't push it, I can revoke all sex rights for these two weeks"

"You wouldn't dare" Harry chuckled, placing his hands on her hips and kissing her gently.

"You got me there" Nikki giggled, taking his hand and grabbing her handbag in her other "Come on, you've made me hungry with all the exercise you've made me do this morning"

"I didn't hear you complaining" Harry laughed as he pulled the door closed behind them "Actually I think the words you used were "yes" and "more", among others"

"Harry ssh" Nikki blushed, holding one finger to her mouth as they walked down the corridor. Harry just kept on chuckling at her embarrassment.

* * *

**I know you're all looking forward to Rome..but as I haven't been there (unfortunately) and I'm only using a website for information, it's not going to be brilliant...just to warn you beforehand.**

**xxx**


	51. Chapter 51

"Wow" Nikki breathed as she and Harry stood in the middle of the Pantheon. All around the circular room were various statues situated in coves, each depicting a different man or woman, each two large pillars apart from each other. The ceiling was perfectly curved, with a large hole in the dead centre, the walls decorated ornately with indents and other empty coves. There was a hushed silence in the place, as though people didn't dare to speak unless in a whisper due to respect. "It's beautiful"

"Yes it is" Harry agreed with a small nod, looking around the room at the various statues. He then glanced down at the tourist booklet that they had brought and began to read the introduction page, chuckling slightly as he read one particular line "Nikki this is still the world's largest unreinforced concrete dome" he read to his lover who gave him an exasperated look and shook her head. "What?" he asked innocently as Nikki rolled her eyes. "Thought you were interested".

"Oh I am" Nikki gasped in mock shock, placing her hand over her chest "It's made my day knowing that"

"Not this morning?" Harry pouted and Nikki giggled.

"Well I don't really know" she murmured as a group walked past them with a guide talking in quick Italian "You might have to remind me when we get back to the room, I seem to have forgotten it"

"I'm sure that can be arranged" Harry grinned and Nikki smiled at him, grabbing his hand and dragging him towards one of the tombs on the side.

"Good, now come and tell me who's buried in these tombs"

Harry rolled his eyes, they couldn't get away from dead people.

Half way around the room and Harry was lost in thought, his hand in his pocket as he fiddled with the box that contained the ring. He had brought it with him just in case he found the courage to propose. He took the time to observe his lover, running his eyes over her perfect form, her bare legs and the skirt that came just above her knees, her slightly baggy blouse that still showed off every one of her curves and her naturally curled hair. She had given up with the pony tail when most of the strands had fallen out, so had removed the hair band, letting her hair fall down her back, sending Harry a cheeky smile as she did so, knowing exactly what that did to him.

"Harry you're meant to be looking at the room and not me" Nikki told him quietly as she read a plaque on the wall, knowing what Harry was doing without even looking at him, she had felt his eyes on her for a good five minutes. "You can look at me all you want later on"

"I hope that's a promise" Harry whispered as he pressed his lips to hers in a quick but passionate kiss. Nikki nodded and smiled at him.

"I might not even have clothes on" she murmured and Harry grinned at her, making Nikki giggle loudly as she pulled him along to the next statue.

"Come on you, let's go" Nikki smiled, pulling Harry away from the Pantheon as they walked into the warm Italian air.

"Back to the hotel?" Harry asked eagerly as he turned away from the towering stone structure that they had just come out of.

"No" Nikki giggled as she stopped walking and turned to him, a bright smile on her face "You're insatiable"

"Well I do have an amazing, beautiful, passionate woman to take to bed with me" Harry responded and Nikki flushed, nothing to do with the heat.

"You're taking me for a drink" she told her lover, rolling her eyes as Harry pouted at her. "and don't use those eyes, you know they don't work on me"

"Whereas yours just make me cave in" Harry laughed and Nikki grinned at him as they walked across the square to a cafe they had seen on their way to the Pantheon that morning.

"We can go to the Trevi Fountain" Nikki told Harry as they sat outside the cafe under an umbrella, both with ice cold drinks in front of them. "We still have time"

"We have two weeks, we can go back if we don't get enough time there" Harry shrugged, leaning across and kissing her gently. He saw an elderly Italian couple at the table next to them smile at them and Harry returned it, entwining one of his hands with Nikki's on the top of the table and stroking it gently with his thumb.

"You have ticked some places that you want to go, haven't you?" Nikki enquired, leaning on the table and resting her head in her hand as she looked at him. "In the book"

"Yes I have" Harry nodded and resisted the urge to roll his eyes "and they are all the places that you picked in the first place"

"Sure? We have two weeks, if there's somewhere else you want to.."

Harry cut off her sentence by kissing her, smiling as he broke away and Nikki giggled at him. She reached up and ran the hand that wasn't entwined with his through Harry's hair and he tutted at her, reaching up and trying to flatten it again.

"Must you?"

"Yes" Nikki nodded, leaning over and kissing him again "I love you"

"I love you" Harry responded with a nod, kissing her on the forehead as she once again leant on her hand. "You're so beautiful"

Nikki smiled lovingly at him and they both turned to the elderly couple when they heard the man chuckling loudly.

"I apologise" he smiled at them, his Italian accent thick "but you two remind me of myself and my wife when we were young"

His wife rolled her eyes and slapped him on the arm.

"Will you stop it, can't you see they are trying to have a romantic drink together?" her accent wasn't as thick as her husband's but she was definitely Italian.

"No it's fine" Harry chuckled and Nikki smiled at the elderly couple "We don't mind"

"_Padre ti fermare disturbare i turisti?"_

The shout from the cafe door made them all turn around and the elderly man shrugged and shook his head at the younger man in the doorway.

_"Hanno detto che a loro non importa, sai come sono"_ he replied in quick Italian and rolled his eyes as the younger man shrugged.

_"Purtroppo sì che faccio"_

He then turned and walked back into the cafe. Harry and Nikki turned back to the elderly couple.

"Our son" the man told them "Telling me not to annoy the tourists"

"Don't be rude" his wife admonished him and smiled apologetically at the two pathologists.

"No it's okay" Nikki chuckled "We _are_ tourists"

"First time to Rome?"

"First time to Italy" Nikki replied "I've always wanted to come but I've never done anything about it, until Harry insisted that he bring me"

"Well as you can tell it's a gorgeous place" the elderly man started and his wife sighed and leant back in her chair, smiling apologetically at Harry and Nikki as she shook her head "I'm Aldo and this is my wife Carolina by the way"

"Harry and Nikki" Nikki told them and Harry nodded at the older couple as he downed the rest of his drink.

"I'm sure Harry and Nikki can find their way around Rome just fine" Carolina told Aldo as she placed her hand on his arm "Stop interfering"

"I'm not woman" Aldo responded with a roll of his eyes "I'm going to suggest a few places for them to visit, you know, to get the whole experience of Rome"

"Well I'm sure they have it all worked out where they are going to go"

Harry and Nikki looked at each other and burst out laughing, wondering if that was going to be them in a good few years. Both hoped so.

"No it's fine, some advice would be nice" Harry interrupted the playful argument that the elderly couple were having "We have some ideas but it would be nice to have the opinions of the locals"

"Well that's good" Aldo grinned, standing up and motioning to one of the spare chairs at Harry and Nikki's table "May I join you?"

"Of course"

"_Aldo tuo padre è un altro dei suoi discorsi, è meglio portare qualcosa di forte per queste due persone_" Carolina called into the cafe and Aldo threw a glare at her.

"_Tranquillo donna e lasciami parlare, mio Dio_" he told her but a smile spread over his face as he turned back to Harry and Nikki "When you've been together as long as we have, insulting each other becomes a daily occurrence"

"Oh we know" Nikki giggled and Harry poked her in the side and rolled his eyes.

"Now, some of the places that I would recommend..."

* * *

**I have no knowledge of Italian and I've used a translation website so I have no idea if the Italian is correct or not. Just go with it XD.**

**_Padre ti fermare disturbare i turisti: _Father will you stop annoying the tourists?**

**_Hanno detto che a loro non importa, sai come sono: _They said they don't mind, you know me.**

**_Purtroppo sì che faccio: _Unfortunately yes I do.**

**_Aldo tuo padre è un altro dei suoi discorsi, è meglio portare qualcosa di forte per queste due persone: _Aldo, your father is doing another one of his speaches. You better get something strong for these two people.**

**_Tranquillo donna e lasciami parlare, mio Dio: _Quite woman and let me speak. My God.**

**But how long do you want me to go on for after they come back from Italy? Obviously they have to sort everything out with Nikki's father but what about Janet and Leo's reaction to them maybe (or maybe not) adopting the baby? Yeah I know this was only meant to be about Nikki looking after Harry but it progressed...hope none of you mind that.**

**xxx**


	52. Chapter 52

**Smut in this chapter. Going to upload two chapter though :)**

**xxx**

* * *

"Do you think we will be like Aldo and Carolina when we're older?" Nikki enquired as she and Harry walked hand in hand down the streets in the direction of the Trevi fountain. It was almost four o'clock, the two of them having spent two and a half hours just talking to Aldo and Carolina about various things, even learning a bit of Italian in the process. They had also got two free drinks from their son, named Aldo as well, just for occupying his father for two and a half hours.

"What? Italian?"

Nikki threw her lover a withering look and he looked back innocently, a smile threatening to break over his face.

"I hope so" he replied honestly and shrugged "I think we're there already actually, apart from not being old"

Nikki giggled and nodded, agreeing with him on that point. There wasn't many people about at this hour, even though it was still early, but couples and small groups mingled around the fountain, pointing at it and talking to their companions.

"Okay smarty, what is this depicting then?" Harry asked Nikki as they walked up to the fountain, Nikki perching herself on the side of the fountain, in touching distance of the water.

"Oceanic waves, featuring a chariot towed by seahorses, and driven by Triton" Nikki responded instantly and smirked at her lover who raised an eyebrow at her. "I read the tourist guide"

Harry rolled his eyes and reached into his pocket to grip at the ring box as Nikki turned her back on him slightly to look at the ornate and amazing carvings that donned the fountain. It truly was beautiful. The water was a clear blue colour and it swirled as it poured out of the statue, making a calming noise as it did so. There were shiny coins in the bottom of the fountain and Harry remembered reading something about a tradition, that if you threw a coin into the fountain then one day you would return to Rome. Nikki had pulled out her camera and was taking various pictures of the fountain, making Harry chuckle slightly and shake his head.

"Give it here" he told her, letting go of the box in his pocket and holding his hand out for the camera. Nikki gave it to him but started to protest as he held it up to take a picture of her in front of the fountain.

"You know I don't photograph well" she pouted as Harry looked at the photo, a smile on his face.

"What are you on about woman? You're gorgeous" he laughed and showed her the picture. Nikki made a face and quickly took a sneaky photo of Harry, laughing loudly as he glared at her and made a grab for the camera. "and you're also mean"

"You love it"

"Of course I do" Harry nodded and stole a sneaky kiss, his hand making its way into his pocket and gripping the box again. "I love you"

"and I love you" Nikki giggled as she brought his head down so she could kiss him again. Harry let go of the box and sat down next to his lover, wrapping one arm around her back as he did so. They kissed lazily for a few more seconds before realising that it was a public place and they should probably stop.

"Can't wait to get you back to the hotel" Harry whispered into her ear as he stroked her back gently "Going to make you scream my name"

Nikki licked her lips and a shot of desire ran through her at Harry's words.

Harry hadn't even entered the room properly before Nikki had pushed him in and slammed the door shut, bringing his head down so she could kiss him roughly, running one hand through his hair as she chucked her handbag onto the floor.

"You promised you would make me scream your name" she told him as she pushed him towards the bed "You better live up to that"

Harry turned them around and backed Nikki up until the back of her legs hit the bed. He then began to undress her slowly, savouring every inch of skin that was uncovered. When she was fully naked in front of him, he pushed her into a sitting position on the bed and kissed her once more before kneeling in front of her and teasing her with his fingers. Nikki leant her head back and hissed slightly in pleasure, Harry smirked and kissed her stomach repeatedly as he continued to rub her slowly with his fingers, her moans becoming louder. She parted her legs slightly and Harry quickly leant down and pressed his mouth to her.

"Jesus" Nikki hissed in surprise as Harry started to pleasure her with his tongue. She moved her legs again and Harry put them over his shoulders so he could get even closer, his fingers and tongue working Nikki and making her arch into him, moaning and panting as he quickened his pace.

"You're gorgeous" Harry murmured into her and all Nikki could do was nod slightly and moan, her head falling back into her shoulders as her eyes flickered shut. She reached down and ran her hands through Harry's hair, encouraging him more. He however slowed down and Nikki gasped as he moved his hand away and stroked her thigh gently.

"Harry" Nikki whispered, arching into him as he continued to lick her, his tongue doing things to her that she never thought possible. She was glad that it was only Harry she had ever allowed to do this to her.

"Hmm?"

"Fingers" she gasped as Harry moved his tongue away from her "God are you trying to kill me?" she panted and Harry smirked as he kissed her aching centre.

Nikki moaned and reached down, intent on finishing herself off since she was so close. Harry however didn't stop her, instead he let her touch herself as he once more leant forward and licked her. Nikki felt herself nearing orgasm and quickened her own pace, arching into Harry, wanting him to do the same. However when she felt herself almost there, Harry quickly stopped and grabbed her wrist, moving her hand away from her and shaking his head.

"I don't think so Nicola"

"Damn you" she hissed "I need..to.."

"Well you're going to have to beg for it aren't you?" Harry told her forcibly, never breaking eye contact "I want to hear you beg for me to let you cum"

"You..you.." Nikki murmured and Harry stood up, pushing her down onto the bed and straddling her, kissing her on the lips and then focussing on her breasts, teasing them until Nikki thought she was going to orgasm just from that. Harry then returned his hand to her centre, teasing her relentlessly until she was writhing and screaming his name as a powerful orgasm washed over her. Her lover smiled at her as he removed his hand and slowly licked his fingers, never breaking eye contact with Nikki.

Harry then climbed off the bed and removed his clothing, Nikki licking her lips when she saw his almost fully hard erection. She reached over and ran her hand over it, making Harry gasp slightly as he crawled up to her. Nikki then pouted as Harry reached down and removed her hand from him.

"You can do that later, right now this is about you and I'm going to make you scream my name and beg for me" Harry told her outright and Nikki moaned and nodded, biting her lip to stop herself gasping as Harry ran his erection over her centre, teasing her. "and the quicker that you beg, the quicker I am inside you and I really want to be in you Nicola"

Nikki took in a deep breath as Harry turned her over slightly so they were almost spooning and kissed his way down her back, paying particular attention to the small of her back. She had never been treated like this before, he was practically worshipping her body. His other hand snaked around her body and pressed his fingers into her again, making Nikki gasp in surprise.

"Please" she panted weakly, slinging one leg over Harry's and arching back into him "Please Harry"

"Didn't take you long" he chuckled into her neck as he removed his fingers and guided himself into her from behind, moving her leg slightly so he could get deeper, both of them gasping at the amazing sensation that this position gave them. Harry wrapped his arm around her waist, running his hand down and pleasuring her with his fingers as he moved inside her. Nikki moaning and writhing under him at the duel sensations, arching her neck as he kissed her skin there as well. She gripped the sheets next to her, her other hand gripping Harry's arm as he thrust into her. She told him to go faster and he complied, her moans and pants urging him on as he continued to use his hand as well. It wasn't long before Nikki was panting and moaning his name, shuddering around him as she reached her orgasm. Harry burying his face in her neck and pressing himself into her once more as he too reached his own orgasm, her name falling from his lips repeatedly. They stayed in that position as they came down from their high, Nikki turning her head slightly so Harry could kiss her and they did so lazily for several minutes, Harry still inside her. "You're gorgeous when you're writhing and moaning under me" he whispered through the kiss.

"Technically I'm next to you" Nikki replied a slight giggle and Harry gave her an exasperated look. She then moved away from him, both of them moaning at the loss of contact. However she quickly straddled him and started to stroke him again, feeling him already responding slightly.

"Do you know what I smuggled into the suitcase?" Harry asked with a smirk on his face, knowing that he wouldn't be ready for Nikki just yet, even if he did act like he was on Viagra. Nikki shook her head as she continued to stroke him gently. "I'll give you a clue, it needs batteries"

"You didn't" Nikki gasped and Harry grinned at her, showing that he was telling the truth.

"It's in my suitcase"

Nikki just smirked at him and climbed off the bed, now she realised why Harry had insisted on him unpacking his case and not her.

* * *

**Naughty!Harry is naughty ;)**

**xxx**


	53. Chapter 53

"Let's not go to dinner" Nikki suggested a two hours later as she and Harry lay tangled up together in bed. "We'll just stay here instead"

"As much as I would love to" Harry started, kissing her neck gently and massaging her stomach as he spoke "I need food, and by the time we've finished I should have regained some energy. My God woman you wear me out"

"You love it" Nikki giggled as she turned over slightly to look at her lover.

"Yes I do" the male pathologist smiled, pressing one last kiss to her skin before climbing out of bed and grabbing some clothes. "However I also love food, and you are hungry as well"

Nikki looked Harry's naked body up and down and nodded, a feral grin on her face.

"For food" Harry added exasperatedly and Nikki flushed before sitting up in the bed and letting the duvet pool around her waist, giving Harry a very nice view of her chest and most of her body.

"You know you shouldn't wander around the place like that" Harry sighed dramatically as Nikki walked from the bathroom dressed only in a small towel that left little to the imagination.

"Oh really?" Nikki replied, letting the towel drop to the floor, Harry's eyes following it before they raked up her body, making her squirm slightly under his gaze. "and why is that Dr Cunningham?"

"Because" Harry told her slowly, standing up and making her way over to her, leaning down and kissing her neck as he did so, breathing in the smell of mango. "someone could come and scoop you up and take you to bed" he whispered, quickly picking Nikki up and clutching her to him, kissing her on the lips as she laughed loudly.

"How unfortunate" Nikki whispered as Harry carried her towards the bed and dropped her onto it, quickly straddling her and pushing her down onto her back.

"Very" Harry agreed as he nibbled his way to her neck and kissed the spot that made her go weak.

The next morning they were both up early, and after a shower together, which then lead to them making love in said shower, they decided on an early breakfast. Harry was nervous as he kept switching from looking over at the square that the hotel was situated in, glancing over the fountain in the middle and the various cafes and statues that stood around the edges, and then back to Nikki who was also looking at the square, a faraway look on her face. He was even more nervous considering the entire population of Rome had decided to wake up early as well, or that's what it felt like to Harry. Most of the very few people in the hotel were also taking breakfast at the front of the hotel, taking advantage of the warm sun in the morning. Harry licked his lips and decided to bite the bullet, he took the box which contained the ring out of his pocket and stood up, taking a deep breath. Nikki glanced at him and frowned.

"Harry where.." she stopped as Harry knelt down on one knee in front of her and licked his lips nervously, everyone else having breakfast turning to look at them, whispering in Italian or some other language.

"Nikki, I know we haven't been seeing each other properly for long" Harry started and Nikki felt her insides flip as he opened the box and showed her the ring. Her eyes flicked to it and then back at Harry, her eyes filling with tears as he spoke "But we've known each other for six years and I have been in love with you for five and a half of those years without saying anything". Without the couple seeing, a few of the women in the 'audience' reached up to wipe their faces. "and I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you and have lots of children with you". Nikki chuckled tearfully when she heard this, a few tears leaking from her eyes "so, would you do me the honour of becoming my wife?"

"Yes" she choked out, nodding quickly "God Harry yes of course"

Harry grinned at her, tears filling his eyes as he stood up and wrapped his arms around Nikki who buried her face in his neck, looping her arms around his neck. The crowd started clapping loudly, cheering for them as Harry looked down at Nikki and kissed her fully on the lips, not caring about everyone watching, they seemed happy anyway.

"I love you so much" he whispered, reaching up to wipe Nikki's fallen tears away, kissing her again as she giggled.

"I love you more"

"Not possible" Harry murmured against her lips, breaking away long enough to take the ring out of the box and to slip it onto Nikki's finger, bringing it to his mouth to kiss her hand. Nikki gave him a tearful smile and kissed him again, hardly daring to believe that Harry had just proposed to her, and in front of an audience as well.

"Congratulations"

They both turned when they recognised the voice of the middle aged man who owned the hotel that they were staying at.

"Thank you" Nikki giggled, wiping her face again as Harry kissed the top of her head, a permanent grin plastered on his face.

"What say we have a _festa_, a party, tonight to celebrate this wonderful news?" he grinned "We Italians know how to throw a party, eh?"

"That would be nice" Nikki nodded and Harry agreed with his fiancé, kissing her on the cheek as he rubbed her back gently.

"_Eccelente_" the hotel owner, Dario as the pathologists remembered when he had introduced himself "Tonight at seven, drinks are on the house"

The grinning man then walked back into the hotel and left the rest of the people there to say congratulations to them.

"Never mind Dario" a middle aged Italian woman told them with a smile after she had congratulated them "My husband loves a party, any excuse for one"

"Sounds like someone I know" Nikki grinned and elbowed Harry in the ribs, making him pout and poke her in the side.

"I can't believe you said yes" Harry smiled when they finally got back to their hotel room to get ready to go out "Every scenario in my head had you saying no"

"Don't be silly" Nikki giggled, pulling his head down so she could kiss him, looping her arms around his neck and stepping even closer to his body.

"The look on your face when I got down on one knee was priceless" Harry chuckled as he pulled away and pressed his lips to her forehead. Nikki rolled her eyes and pushed away from him, backing away as she shook her head.

"Well I was a little shocked to see my lover getting down on one knee in front of me, last time that happened I was on the bed completely naked" she giggled and Harry grinned as he followed her towards the bed.

"I'm sure we can make that happen again" he smirked as he kissed her, before pushing her back down onto the bed.

"It's beautiful" Nikki told Harry a few hours later as they were sitting on the side of the Trevi fountain once more, having not spent much time there the day before in their rush to get back to the hotel and their room. She hadn't stopped looking at the ring all day, marvelling at how beautiful it was.

"Suits you" Harry replied, leaning forward and kissing her gently, rubbing the small of her back as he spoke. "As soon as I saw it I knew you'd like it"

"I love it" Nikki grinned, kissing him again and running one hand through his hair.

"I was going to propose somewhere romantic on one of our days out" Harry confessed as he pulled away and smiled at her. "but this morning seemed like a perfect moment"

"It was" Nikki nodded "and it's nice for them to throw a party"

"Drinks on the house as well" Harry chuckled and Nikki rolled her eyes "If you want to drink then that's fine, I'll only have a few"

"What's wrong with us both drinking?"

"Because we both get..touchy when we're drunk. I don't want to wake up naked in bed with you with no recollection of what happened. It wouldn't feel right"

"Yeah we've been through this before" Nikki rolled her eyes at Harry's chivalries "you would feel like you've raped me"

"Hmm" Harry nodded, taking her hand in his and standing up "Come on, let's go for a walk"

* * *

**Right, so IF Harry and Nikki adopt the baby he/she is going to need a name. What do you suggest? I know Harry doesn't know yet but I need some names just in case I decide to let them adopt. Girls and boys names please :D Thank you.**

**xxx**


	54. Chapter 54

"Ah hello again" Aldo smiled at the two pathologists as he walked out of his son's cafe to see Harry and Nikki sitting outside enjoying the scenery and a glass of some sort of cocktail each. "How are you both?"

Nikki smiled at Harry and then turned back to the elderly man, grinning at him.

"We're fine, more than fine actually. Harry proposed this morning" she giggled and Aldo grinned at them, patting them both on the shoulder and nodding.

"Congratulations"

"Thank you" Harry replied, brining Nikki's hand to his mouth so he could kiss it, making his fiancé blush slightly and avert her gaze from his. "It was pretty nerve wracking"

"It always is for a man" Aldo chuckled and Harry nodded, smiling at Nikki as she looked back at him, sipping her cocktail as she did so. "I was actually terrified when I proposed to Carolina"

"It didn't help that I was five months pregnant with him in there" a female voice from the doorway made them all turn, seeing Carolina motion inside to where their son was. Both Harry and Nikki were shocked, the Italian couple had revealed themselves the day before as being Catholics. Aldo and Carolina laughed at the pathologist's facial expressions.

"Catholics can have fun as well you know"

"We know, but..um.." Nikki didn't know what to say, she rubbed the back of her neck nervously as the couple continued to laugh kindly.

"We don't all abide by the no sex until marriage rule, we don't believe that it's the most important teaching we need to listen to" Carolina chuckled as she walked over to the table and sat down. "my parents however weren't at all happy"

"Tell me about it" Aldo muttered, rubbing his nose absentmindedly as he spoke "I thought your father was a non violent man, apparently not"

Nikki giggled when she heard this and Harry grinned at the elderly man who rolled his eyes at them.

"You're very quiet" Nikki told Harry when she walked from the bathroom after a joint bath together. Harry was sitting on the edge of the bed staring over the view of Rome that was visible from their balcony, a towel wrapped low around his waist. Nikki crawled into the bed behind him and wrapped her arms around his neck, kneeling behind him. She kissed his cheek gently and Harry turned to smile at her.

"Sorry, just thinking about mum. She knew I was going to propose"

"Really?" Nikki asked, surprised that Harry had told anyone at all. Harry nodded and leant across to kiss her, Nikki flicking her damp hair over her shoulder as he kissed his way down her neck.

"She was really happy" he murmured into her skin as he nibbled slightly at her neck, making Nikki moan quietly and tip her head back to give him better access. "She told me to ring her as soon as I'd done it, but now... I suppose Leo has done an autopsy already...sorry I shouldn't be doing this now"

"No it's okay" Nikki nodded, stroking his damp hair gently. She however smiled and giggled when Harry reached up to undo the knot holding her towel in place. "Harry no, we have to get ready for the party"

"But we have loads of time" Harry chuckled, all depressing thoughts of his mother gone out of his head for now. He would return to them once they were home again in time for her funeral in two weeks. As per his mother's demand, they had agreed to have her funeral after their holiday and still go to Rome. At the time Harry had chuckled and told Nikki that his mother would come back and haunt them if they didn't. "I want to see you naked"

"Which will then lead to us making love" Nikki stated the obvious as she massaged his shoulders gently.

"Repeatedly" Harry smiled as he pushed Nikki gently down onto her back and looked down at her as she giggled up at him. "You're going to have to take the towel off to get dressed, so either you do it or I do it"

"I'll get dressed in the bathroom" Nikki laughed, attempting to roll over and climb off the bed. Harry however wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her back down again, both of them laughing loudly. Harry then quickly undid the towel and left Nikki laying naked on the bed under him. His body reacted instantly to her and he leant down to cover her lips with his, their tongues duelling for dominance as Nikki wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer.

"Thought you said we needed to get ready" Harry chuckled as he broke away and nuzzled her neck, kissing his way down to her breasts but not touching them.

"I'm sure we can spare an hour" Nikki giggled and Harry grinned at her, leaning down and taking one breast into his mouth.

"Nikki?"

"Hmm?"

"You don't mind..." Harry trailed off as he fiddled nervously with a stray thread on his jeans. Nikki turned away from the mirror she was looking in to sort her hair out, straight this time, and nodded at Harry to continue.

"I don't mind..."

"Us making love every day" Harry told her, a frown passing over his face as Nikki laughed loudly. "Some women don't like being taken to bed every day"

"Harry I love you" Nikki giggled as she sauntered over to him and sat on his lap, pressing a quick kiss to his lips "I'm not moaning at the fact that we have made love every day, repeatedly, since we've got here. It's nice to have someone who wants me for more than just one shag"

"What have I told you about talking like that?" Harry poked her in the side and Nikki giggled again, pushing away from him as she climbed off his lap to finish getting ready.

"It's not my fault that you're a horny bastard most of the time"

"I beg to differ my love" Harry chuckled, standing up and walking over to her, wrapping his arms around her waist as Nikki continued to do her hair. "It's you who makes me a horny bastard"

Nikki laughed at him and shook her head, pulling her hair into a messy bun and turning in his arms.

"Do you hear me complaining?"

"No"

"Then don't you dare stop coming on to me" Nikki poked him in the chest and took his hand, kissing him again as he grinned "Now come on you, the sooner we're down there the sooner we're back up here for round four"

They both laughed loudly as they exited their hotel room, making their way downstairs for their engagement party.

"I'm going to have to call Leo" Harry commented later on as he and Nikki stood at the bar, both of them a little worse for wear due to the free alcohol. They had both stopped drinking however and had made the barman, the hotel owner's brother, promise them not to give them any more alcohol. This had amused the man greatly and he had given them a glass of orange juice each.

"Why?" Nikki slurred slightly.

"To tell him you said yes"

"Leo knew as well?" Nikki chuckled and Harry shrugged, blushing slightly, something he swore was to do with the alochol.

"I couldn't keep it to myself, I don't know what I would have told them if you had said no"

"Nothing, because I would never had said no in a million years" Nikki assured him, placing her hand on his cheek and leaning up to kiss him.

"Aldo, Carolina they are just like you when you were young" Dario grinned at the pathologists, making Nikki blush slightly. Aldo and Carolina tutted at the hotel owner.

"What are you talking about _mio amico_?" Aldo enquired, throwing his arms in the air and shaking his head. "We are still both young, well we get up to things that these two youngsters do" he winked.

The men in ear shot laughed as Carolina turned and hit her husband on the shoulder, the women giggling and Aldo junior shaking his head, a disgusted but amused look on his face.

"_Mio dio_" he sighed in quiet Italian "Must you?"

"Yes" Aldo nodded and Nikki giggled, Harry leaning down to kiss her lips.

"I love you" he told her and Nikki smiled slightly at him and stole another quick kiss.

"I love you"

"Aww aren't they both so sweet?" Elisa, Dario's wife, grinned and Nikki's blush grew even more. "They are perfect for each other, yes?"

"Thank you" Harry chuckled, gently playing with a strand of Nikki's straight hair "Everyone says that"

"Because it is so obvious" Dario laughed and Nikki giggled and rested her head on Harry's shoulder. She loved it when people told them that she and Harry looked perfect together, and if she was honest it happened quite a lot, even before they had admitted feelings.

Harry and Nikki crawled into bed at some awful time in the early morning, the party having gone on for longer than anyone intended with everyone bonding with each other. Nikki was quick to put her pyjamas on, brush her teeth and jump into bed, snuggled down before Harry had even made it into the bathroom. Still slightly tipsy Harry then climbed into bed and wrapped himself around his fiancé, kissing her neck gently and telling her that he loved her, smiling when he got the same sleepy reply back. He then lay down and closed his eyes, sleep soon catching up with both of them.

"Morning" Nikki murmured the next morning as she turned over in the bed and saw Harry stirring sleepily. He opened his eyes and smiled slightly at her, leaning over to kiss her gently before running one hand through his hair. "Headache?"

"Slightly"

Nikki nodded and turned her back on Harry, burying her head in her pillow and trying to get back to sleep after seeing that it was only half past seven in the morning. She felt Harry shift behind her and then one arm draping over her waist and his chest pressing into her back. Nikki smiled slightly and let out a contented sigh, feeling absolutely safe in his arms. Harry rested his head next to Nikki's on her pillow and closed his eyes, breathing in her unique and comforting smell. He'd been in the middle of an amazing dream. He and Nikki were married and had children, at least five that he could remember and Nikki was pregnant again and looking radiant and beautiful. Their children, three boys and two girls were running around in the park while he and Nikki sat and watched, their two little girls, identicall twins and the youngest, were exact replicas of Nikki, right down to their cheeky smiles and giggles as they launched themselves at him. He found himself smiling and opened his eyes, leaning forward and kissing Nikki on the head, the smile never leaving his face as he continued to think about the dream.

* * *

**Just finished writing this story. 'Horray' I hear you all say :D. There's quite a few more chapters to go and it's strayed off the 'Harry is injured' path but hey, my muse wouldn't let me stop. You all seem to be enjoying it though so I hope you don't mind the straying.**

**xxx**


	55. Chapter 55

"Nikki your mobile is ringing" Harry called out to Nikki who was pottering around in the bathroom getting ready for them to go out. His fiancé walked out of the bathroom with a frown on her face and Harry just stared at her, trying to get his brain back in gear. She was wearing a thigh length baby blue dress, her hair was once again completely straight and loose, running down her back. Nikki had tried to explain the science of her hair to him, it depended on how she slept and whether or not her hair was damp or wet when she went to bed, whether or not it was straight or slightly curly. Harry had just stared at her like she was mad and raised an eyebrow, making Nikki giggle loudly.

"Hello?"

Harry continued to gaze at her as she answered the phone, wanting nothing more to pull her into him and take her back to bed for yet another passionate round of love making. However he knew they couldn't, they were on holiday of course and had planned days out, there was time for making love later that evening. Harry's eyes made their way down her perfect figure, running over her slightly exposed breasts and down to her flat stomach. With a jolt, Harry remembered his dream from the night before, and how gorgeous and perfect she had looked when she was pregnant. He wondered if there was a baby growing inside her already, but resisted the urge to reach over and place his hand on her stomach. He flicked his eyes down to her legs, they seemed to go on forever and he found himself licking his lips, his trousers getting slightly tighter.

"No dad, I told you no"

Nikki's snapped response to whatever Victor had said brought Harry out of his musings. He saw a distressed look on his fiancé's face and frowned, holding out his hand. Nikki took it and threw him a small smile before going back to her conversation.

"No and that is final. Has she even..." she paused and glanced at Harry, turning away from him slightly and making him frown. "has she even had it yet?" she whispered so Harry wouldn't hear, but he did and his frown deepened. "No, then why are you asking me again? Take care of your own problems for _once_ in your life"

She then hung up quickly and threw the phone onto the bed, sighing in frustration and taking her hand from Harry's, running it through her hair and turning away from him, shaking her head as she did so. Nikki then walked quickly out onto the balcony, Harry following her, leaning heavily on the railings and lowering her head to glare at the floor.

"What's wrong Nikki?" Harry whispered, standing behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her closer and pressing his lips to her exposed shoulder. "Is it the same argument as before?"

Nikki nodded and sniffed quietly, reaching up to wipe her face free of tears as she turned in Harry's arms and gave him a watery smile.

"It doesn't matter"

"Yes it does" Harry nodded, gently pressing his fingers to her chin and lifting her head so he had eye contact with her. "It upset you before and it's upset you now. What is it? You can tell me" he told her softly and Nikki let out a loud sob and took a deep breath, blinking away tears. "It's not that bad is it?"

Nikki shook her head and wiped her face, averting her eyes from Harry's as she lied to him.

"No" she whispered and Harry nodded, he didn't believe her at all, but was willing to pretend to believe her just so they didn't get into an argument. "Just dad being dad"

"Okay" Harry nodded again, leaning down and pressing his lips to her forehead. If she hadn't caved and told him by the time they got home, he would sit her down and get it out of her before it ate her away. "Are you ready?"

"Nearly"

Harry rolled his eyes and muttered something that sounded suspiciously like 'women', making Nikki giggle and push him back into the room. Following quickly and closing the doors behind her.

"I have to have time to get ready"

"You're a woman, it's only natural" Harry chuckled "Ow" he moaned when Nikki hit him on the arm on her way past him. "You're mean to me"

"You like it" Nikki smirked cheekily at him and Harry grinned back at her.

"You're not going to cry are you?"

"Sorry?" Nikki frowned as she turned to her lover who was smirking at her. They were standing in the Coliseum, Nikki gazing in awe at the size of it. Harry loved the look of amazement on her face, it made her look even more gorgeous than she already was. He too was enthralled by the Coliseum, a perfect piece of architecture built using just Men's blood sweat and tears.

"Well I know how you get when you watch Gladiator" Harry shrugged and Nikki rolled her eyes "Do you want a tissue"

"Bugger off" Nikki hissed, however a smile spread over her face as she nudged him in the side. "I do not cry at that film"

"I beg to differ" Harry chuckled, placing his hand on the small of her back and guiding her carefully down a set of stone steps.

"Can you believe that people came here to watch other people die?" Nikki murmured as they looked down into the large arena below them. "I can't imagine doing that"

"Things were different back then" Harry shrugged, rubbing her back absentmindedly as he spoke. "They did things like that"

"I suppose. It just seems so horrible now, knowing that they came here for entertainment"

"No worse than you and your CSI reruns" Harry muttered and Nikki giggled, reaching over to slap his arm. "Ouch, must you always abuse me?"

"Yes. And my CSI reruns are good"

Harry gave her an incredulous look which Nikki returned, making them both burst out laughing. Still chucking, Harry leant down and kissed Nikki on the forehead, taking her hand and then walking even further down into the Coliseum.

"I wonder what they were thinking when they walked out there" Nikki stated and pointed to one of the gates covering the doors into the main arena. "Knowing that they would probably die, and if they didn't they would be put in the next challenge"

"That is very deep Nikki" Harry replied seriously, but the corners of his mouth twitched as Nikki rolled her eyes at him. "They were probably used to it, it was a way of life for them. It's like boxing but without the rules and end point"

"Hmm" was all Nikki replied as she shrugged and flicked her hair over her shoulder. She spotted a small family, a woman, a man and a young child and her mind instantly flew to the little brother or sister that her father had told her about. It seemed surreal at her age, but it had finally sunk in that her father had got some woman pregnant, it had taken a bit longer to realise that it was her little brother or sister. On top of that, her father wanted her and Harry to raise the baby, just because the mother didn't want it and her father didn't either. Nikki felt sorry for the baby, he or she wasn't born yet and they weren't even wanted.

"Nikki are you listening?"

"Sorry?" Nikki enquired, breaking away from her thoughts and turning to look at her fiancé who was rolling his eyes at her.

"Do you want to get into the shade" Harry repeated "It's getting hot and you know how you burn"

"Yeah" Nikki replied quietly, smiling slightly as Harry took her hand and led her over to a shady spot by the stairs, her mind still full of thoughts about her father and the baby.

* * *

**This fic is 71 chapters in total, so there's a way to go yet. and yes it's strayed off the path a lot but my muse wouldn't shut up :D.**

**xxx**


	56. Chapter 56

Nikki tried not to get too frustrated as she sat on the balcony late that afternoon, they had gone to the Coliseum and then for a walk around the streets, taking in the beauty of Rome. They had then made their way back to the hotel room for them to shower before dinner. Nikki had insisted on separate showers because in her words 'they needed to get clean, not even more dirty'. Harry had tried to get around her with an upset look on his face, Nikki however had just giggled and hadn't caved in, turning around and sauntering into the bathroom and leaving Harry to his own devises for half an hour. He was now in the shower and Nikki was taking the time away from him to think about what she was going to tell him, or if she was going to tell him, about her father. She didn't want to ruin the holiday, she and Harry had waited for this holiday and had been looking forward to it for weeks. On the other hand if her father turned up out of the blue and says something in front of Harry, she didn't want an argument because she hadn't told her fiancé about the child. That was the other problem, the baby. It was clear that neither biological parent wanted him or her and this upset Nikki slightly. They had been given this gift and they didn't even want it. She hated her father for that, he had never owned up to his mistakes, even the big ones like this. There was no way that she and Harry could have the baby either, they wanted their own family, they were even trying for a baby, not someone else's even if it was her little brother or sister. This thought was weird for Nikki, becoming an older sister at her age.

"Nikki?"

She was snapped out of her thoughts by Harry's voice and he walked over to the double doors, a towel slung low on his waist and his chair and chest still wet from his shower. Nikki ran her eyes appreciatively over his body and Harry smirked at her.

"Yes Dr Alexander?"

"Nothing" Nikki shook her head, trying not to look too interested in his perfectly toned body. She stood up and walked past him into the room. "Close the doors, it's getting chilly"

Harry did as he was told and then walked over to the wardrobe to pull out some fresh clothes for dinner. Nikki sat on the bed unashamedly running her eyes over her fiancés body, absentmindedly fiddling with her engagement ring, a smile on her face. She looked down at her hand and her smile faded slightly, she wanted to tell Harry about what her father had said, she really did, but she didn't know where to start or how he would react.

"You're very quiet Niks" Harry commented as he turned around from the wardrobe and shut it gently, walking over to the bed and placing his fresh clothes next to her. "Something wrong?"

"No" Nikki replied, giving him a genuine smile as she sat up and then crawled over to him. Harry watched her with a smile on his own face, placing his hands on her hips as she knelt up in front of him. Nikki then leant forward and pressed her lips to his, reaching down to undo the towel and let it drop to the floor.

"So now you're stealing my food as well" Harry sighed as Nikki reached over and stole a piece of melon wrapped in prosciutto from his plate. They had decided on traditional Italian food for dinner.

"Well you tired me out and made me hungry" Nikki whispered as she put the starter into her mouth and licked her fingers slowly. "Not that I'm complaining"

Harry smirked at her and stole a quick kiss, and a piece of Bruschetta from her plate. Nikki glared playfully at him and he looked back innocently as he chewed on it, shrugging slightly.

"You love me" was all he said as his excuse and Nikki giggled, leaning over to kiss him on the cheek as he spoke.

"Yes I do"

"I love you" Harry nodded, entwining their hands on his lap as he reached over and picked up his wine glass. Nikki still hadn't got used to the warm, happy feeling that she got every time Harry said those three words to her, it never failed. Harry then looked down at their entwined hands and smiled when he saw the engagement ring on his lover's finger. He reached over with his other hand to play with it slightly. "I still can't believe you said yes"

"Well I did and you're stuck with me" Nikki chuckled and Harry looked up at her, a grin on his face as he leant forward to kiss her.

"Well I am glad about that" he whispered against her lips, brushing his fingers across her inner thigh slightly under her dress and making her gasp quietly.

"Harry behave" she hissed, looking around the room at the other people, none of them having noticed the two pathologists, too deep in conversation with their own companions. "We're at dinner"

"Hmm" Harry nodded, moving his hand higher slightly. Nikki reached down and grabbed his wrist, trying to move his hand away. Harry however was stronger and resisted her, laughing at her attempts to discreetly move his hand as he continued to rub circles on her thigh.

"Stop it now or you're not having me for the rest of the night" Nikki whispered to him and Harry chuckled, shaking his head as he took his hand away and once more entwined it with Nikki's, placing them on his leg as Nikki put her fork down, signalling that she had finished her starter. "You know I could get used to eating like this"

"Whatever my lady commands" Harry told her, making her giggle loudly and shake her head.

"Well in that case we're going shopping tomorrow"

"Nikki, I didn't mean it like that" Harry whined as one of the waiters came over and took away their used plates, asking if they wanted their main courses yet. Nikki had answered for them and then the young Italian man, who had blushed violently when Nikki had spoken to him, walked away. Harry chuckled at the young man's reaction to his fiancé and Nikki poked him in the side.

"Don't be mean"

"I'm sorry, it's cute" Harry chuckled.

"I thought you didn't like it when men looked at me like that" Nikki giggled, resting her elbow on the table and turning to face her fiancé even more.

"You make me sound possessive and jealous when you say it like that" Harry moaned, making Nikki apologise quickly. "and it's cute because he's about eighteen and definitely has no chance with you. Whether we were together or not"

"Leave the poor boy alone" she giggled, hitting Harry on the arm as she spoke.

"He's probably never seen a naked woman in his life"

"You look like that when you look at me" Nikki told him suddenly, wanting to take her lover down a peg or two "I've seen you when you didn't think I was watching. You get a slight smile on your face as though you're imagining me naked..well you probably are.."

"All the time" Harry mumbled against her lips as he quickly silenced her from going on about him. "Well considering you have your clothes off most of the time I don't need to imagine"

Nikki flushed a deep red colour and took a large gulp of wine as Harry laughed next to her.

"You were joking about the shopping tomorrow, weren't you?" Harry suddenly asked. Nikki just smirked at him and turned towards the table as their main courses were brought over, the young waiter blushing again as Nikki smiled at him.

"Now who's mean?"

"You'll have to punish me later" Nikki giggled and Harry raised an eyebrow at her before turning to his food.

* * *

**I've already got an idea for a fic to write after this one..it's more of a case fic than this one..actually it's focused mainly on the case so it's a change from my other fics I've posted lately.**

**xxx**


	57. Chapter 57

"No Harry we're not doing anything today" Nikki whined as Harry climbed out of the bed on the Saturday morning. They had been in Rome for almost a week, each day going to different places on day trips or going walking, and Nikki was exhausted. "We're going to stay in bed"

"And make love for the whole day?" Harry chuckled as he opened the balcony doors to let some cool morning air in, leaving the curtains closed.

"If we must" Nikki sighed dramatically, Harry smirking at her as he made his way back to the bed and climbed in, wrapping his arm around her from behind and pressing his chest against her back. "Morning"

"Morning gorgeous" he murmured into her naked shoulder as he kissed it gently "You have a slight suntan"

"Really?" Nikki enquired, looking down at herself and smiling when she realised that Harry was telling the truth. "Odd tan lines though" she sighed, smirking at him "Might have to do some naked sunbathing on the balcony"

"Where everyone will be able to see your gorgeous naked body? I don't think so" Harry chuckled against her shoulder as he kissed his way up to her mouth "That's only for me to see"

"Oh? Says who?" Nikki raised an eyebrow at him, turning onto her back and giving Harry a very nice view of her naked chest where the sheet had fallen down. Harry was momentarily distracted until Nikki tutting brought him back to reality "Concentrate Harry"

"Sorry" he laughed and Nikki rolled her eyes at him, not bothering to cover herself up. "and I say so, because you're my fiancé"

"And I'm meant to do everything you say?"

"Oh yes" Harry nodded, trying to be serious, the laughter in his eyes and the smile threatening to break over his face giving him away.

"Somehow I don't see that happening sweetheart" Nikki giggled as she sat up and went to climb out of bed. Harry however pouted and leant over to pull her back down again. "Harry let me go"

"No"

"Harry honestly I need to use the toilet" Nikki laughed loudly and Harry sighed, moving his arm away and letting Nikki get out of the bed.

When she walked back into the bedroom a few minutes later Harry was still laying in bed, the camera in his hand and a large smile on his face as he flicked through the pictures.

"We're going to have to frame some of these" he told her without looking away from the camera as Nikki walked back over to the bed. "Mum would..." he trailed off and frowned. "Sorry"

"Don't be" Nikki shrugged as she slung her arm over Harry's stomach and rested her head on the pillow next to his as he continued to scroll through the pictures.

"Leo's probably done her autopsy by now" Harry said quietly and Nikki sighed, leaning up to kiss his forehead gently before laying down again. "Sorry I shouldn't have said that"

"Harry will you stop apologising about talking about your mum" Nikki told him forcibly "You can talk about her all you like if you want to, I don't mind"

"Maybe sometime" Harry nodded, turning away from the camera and kissing his fiancé gently before pulling away just as quickly and climbing out of bed.

"Where are you going?" Nikki whined, trying to pull him back again. He turned around and gave Nikki a very nice view of his totally naked body, Nikki of course took advantage and looked him up and down, a satisfied noise escaping her mouth as she did so.

"To the toilet" Harry replied with a smile on his face, rolling his eyes.

"Don't be long" Nikki told him quietly, stretching slightly and letting out a contented moan "I really need you right now"

Harry didn't think he had ever used the bathroom so quickly in his life.

"Harry you know I love you, right?" Nikki whispered some time later as she and Harry kissed lazily in bed, both completely worn out.

"Of course I do, and I love you" Harry nodded as he broke away and looked down at her, moving some of his lover's hair away from her face and kissing her forehead gently. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing" Nikki smiled, running one hand through his hair "I just wanted you to know"

Harry nodded slowly and gave Nikki a comforting smile, leaning down to kiss her gently again before moving away from her slightly.

"Do you think you could ever raise a child that wasn't yours?" Nikki asked him suddenly and Harry tried not to look taken aback as he shook his head in confusion.

"You're not going to tell me that you have a child by another man somewhere are you?" he laughed and Nikki rolled her eyes, slapping his bare chest slightly.

"No, be serious. Could you?"

"Like...in what context?"

"Adoption" Nikki shrugged and Harry frowned, suddenly quite scared.

"You can..have children can't you?" he asked quietly, his eyes flicking to her stomach and then back to her face.

"Yes I can Harry, if I couldn't I definitely would have told you before now" Nikki assured him, running one hand through his hair as she spoke. "What if someone..asked you to raise and child that wasn't yours, but was connected to you by blood?"

"Nikki what is this all about?" Harry shrugged, rolling over so he was laying next to her and pulling Nikki closer. She too turned over so she was laying on her front, half on Harry and half on the bed, fiddling with the pillow case.

"When dad called and asked me to meet him last week" Nikki started, dreading Harry's reaction to the whole thing "he told me that.." she sighed and shook her head "He'd had some sort of relationship with a woman, younger than me, and she was pregnant"

"Ah" was all Harry said as Nikki stopped to see what he would say "Go on"

"He said that neither of them wanted the baby" Nikki felt her eyes water but blinked the tears away quickly "the mother was giving him the baby but he didn't want it, or couldn't raise it, I don't know, and asked if..."

"If" Harry prompted, rubbing her back slightly as he spoke "Go on"

"I don't think.." Nikki shook her head "It doesn't matter"

"Nikki tell me"

"He asked if we could raise the baby as our own" Nikki told her fiancé, turning away from him so she couldn't see his reaction. "I told him no because he has to sort out his own mistakes and shouldn't dump them on other people. We have our own life"

Harry stopped rubbing her back and withdrew his hand, running it through his hair and sighing. He had no idea what to say, this was big even by Victor Alexander's standards.

"and you didn't consult me on this because...?"

"Because I didn't want to scare you" Nikki told him as she looked back down at him, tears rolling down her face which she tried to wipe away "He comes back into my life asking us to raise a child..."

"Which we can do" Harry interrupted, sitting up slightly and nodding "I mean we can can't we?" he added uncertainly when he saw the distressed look on his fiancé's face. "The poor child has already been abandoned by his or her parents and..."

"Don't you think I haven't thought about that Harry?" Nikki snapped, shaking her head and running her hands over her face "I don't want to do this now, not while we're on holiday"

"Well I'm not just going to forget about it" Harry told her quickly and Nikki took a deep breath and shook her head again. "Well what are we going to do about it?"

"About what?"

"About the baby? Are we going to take him or her?"

"No, because it's not ours" Nikki shouted, tears falling down her face "I want a child that is _ours_ Harry, not the mistake of my father"

"How can you be so _selfish_?" Harry snapped at her, sitting up and climbing out of bed. Nikki shook her head and rolled over so she was sitting up. Her fiancé grabbed his clothes from the day before and quickly put them on. "First the mother doesn't want the child, then your father and now you"

"Harry I didn't mean..." Nikki whispered, tears still streaming down her face as she let out a loud sob.

"and you say that your father is selfish" Harry muttered as he stormed out of the hotel room, leaving Nikki to cry into the pillow, he small body shaking with each sob.

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**My internet connection sucks at the moment so if I don't update/review other stories then I apologise, it's the internet connection's fault for hating me.**

**xxx**


	58. Chapter 58

It took Nikki longer than normal to get ready, for the fact that she had exhausted herself by crying her heart out after Harry had left. It had been two hours since he had stormed out of the room and Nikki hadn't heard from him since then. She didn't think Harry would act like that, it sounded to her like he was all for having the child as their own. This confused Nikki, she always thought that he wanted children with her, not raise one that was her father's. Tears sprung to her eyes again as she walked down the pathway and in the general direction of Aldo's cafe, not really caring where she was going. She wanted Harry. She wanted to say sorry and for them to sort everything out. She knew she shouldn't have said anything until they got home, she had just ruined their holiday.

"Ah, _buongiono _Nikki" Aldo senior smiled at her from his usual table at the front of the cafe "You are here early this morning, where is that fiancé of yours?"

"I don't know" Nikki shrugged, seating herself down opposite the elderly man, knowing that he wouldn't mind at all.

"Aldo, Nikki here would like a drink" Aldo called to his son as he saw that Nikki was upset "A coffee?"

"Please" Nikki nodded

"A coffee for the young lady" Aldo grinned, gaining a small smile from the blonde woman opposite him. "On the house"

"No I can.."

"Don't be silly, it's nice to have someone to talk to who listens to me" Aldo chuckled "Normally you British are pretty..."

"Rude?" Nikki suggested and Aldo shrugged apologetically and nodded.

"_Si, _that isn't the word I would have used but okay"

"We seem to be amazed by how open many European people are" Nikki told him, fiddling with the tablecloth in front of her on the table. "Some of us are wary of that"

"Well you and that young man of yours aren't, so we thank you for that" Aldo grinned, his smile fading as Nikki just nodded, thanking his son when the younger man brought the coffee over. Aldo junior gave his father a warning look, telling him quietly to not say anything wrong in front of the obviously upset woman.

Nikki meanwhile didn't know what to do. Harry wasn't answering his phone, it was just going to voicemail. She needed to talk to someone but the only people who were there were an Italian couple and their son that she had met only a week beforehand. However they were good listeners and wouldn't gossip among their friends about her and Harry. Besides, she had no-one else to talk to. This thought just depressed her even more.

"Good morning Nikki" came the cheerful voice of Carolina from the cafe door "You are here early, and where is young Harry?"

"No idea" Nikki replied with a shrug, stirring her coffee as she spoke "We had an argument"

"Oh dear" Carolina sighed sympathetically and patted Nikki on the shoulder as she passed "Don't worry, Aldo and I argue all the time, you've seen us"

Nikki couldn't help but smile and nod. She had seen the elderly couple's 'arguments', they really were amusing to everyone watching.

"Not like that"

"All couples argue" Carolina then told Nikki seriously, sitting herself down next to the younger woman and placing her hand on her arm. "Now what did you argue about? We might be able to help"

"You won't believe me" Nikki chuckled dryly "_I_ hardly believe it if I'm honest"

"Try us"

Nikki nodded, knowing that the Italian couple was her best bet right now, she needed to desperately talk to someone and get advice.

"My father and I, we have a complicated relationship" Nikki started, sitting back in the chair and crossing one leg over the other as she spoke "He left when I was young, still kept in touch kind of, but he wasn't really there. Mum died when I was a teenager and he took me from South Africa to England. I didn't like it at first but that's another story. He got thrown in prison for fraud and we fell out, until he was released a few years ago and we finally talked. He however only wanted me to get some money, I gave it to him and told him to leave me alone. But.." her voice broke and she shook her head, taking a deep breath "every time he wants to talk to me I let him, I don't say no and then I end up getting hurt again and again. Harry told me not to go and see him but I ignored him and did so anyway". A few tears dripped down her face which she quickly wiped away, not wanting to cry in front of Aldo and Carolina who were hanging onto every word "Two weeks ago he asks to see me, so stupidly I go. He then tells me that he's got some woman pregnant, one who is younger than me, and neither of them wants the child. He asked if Harry and I would raise the baby as our own"

"How.." Carolina trailed off and sighed.

"Selfish?" Nikki whispered, almost to herself and the older woman nodded "I didn't tell Harry, but this morning in bed we spoke about it, well argued really. I said some stupid things. I told him what had happened and he got..." Nikki frowned and shook her head "it was almost like he was excited about the thought of us adopting and raising the baby"

"Maybe he was" Aldo told the young pathologist "Did you say anything that would tell him that you didn't want to?"

Nikki nodded and bit her lip, taking in a sharp breath to stop herself crying.

"I told him that I wanted to have children with him, children than came from us both, not a child who has been dumped on us because they weren't wanted. How selfish could I get?"

"That's not selfish" Carolina told her softly, placing her hand on Nikki's arm and squeezing it gently "You want children with Harry, that's understandable"

"I didn't think he would want to raise the baby" Nikki sniffed, wiping her face free of tears "Not because he's like that, he's not selfish at all, it's just what I thought. I didn't think men wanted children that weren't there's and I know how much Harry wants children with me"

"So you want this baby? Your little brother or sister"

"I don't know" Nikki sobbed, more tears streaming down her face "My father has messed up my life so much, I don't want him to do it to another child as well. If I could I would raise that child as my own, with Harry, but I don't think I can. It takes a bond to be a mother, I don't think I could bond with a child that wasn't mine"

"Is that what you're scared about?"

All three adults turned to look behind Nikki, seeing a very distressed looking Harry. Nikki was on her feet at once, walking quickly over to him and wrapping her arms around his neck. Harry wrapped his own around her waist and buried his face in her neck.

"I'm sorry" Nikki whispered "I'm so sorry please don't hate me"

"I don't hate you Nikki, I could never hate you" Harry told her quietly, repeatedly kissing her as he spoke "I love you so much"

"I was scared" Nikki sobbed into her lover's shoulder as she gripped at him tightly, as if afraid he would leave her again. "and I was selfish, I wanted a baby with you, one of our own, not one that had been dumped on us"

"I know" Harry nodded, running his hand through her hair gently "I shouldn't have acted like I did, we should have talked"

"We still need to talk" Nikki whispered.

"How about we talk when we get home?" Harry suggested "No more talk about it this week, this is our holiday and that's what we're going to have. Okay?"

"Okay" Nikki nodded, pulling away slightly and wiping her face free of tears as Harry smiled at her.

"But when is the baby due?"

"Not yet apparently" Nikki replied and Harry nodded, leaning down to kiss her and wipe her face gently. "I'm sorry for being selfish" she whispered.

"You're not selfish, I'm sorry for telling you that. But no more talk about it"

Nikki nodded and rested her head on Harry's chest, closing her eyes and smiling when Harry tightened his arms around her, making her feel safe again.

* * *

**Poor confused Nikki :(.**

**Right I've put up the first chapter of my next story, I've ignored the one that I mentioned before about the case, I might write that one but not right now. I'll finish posting this story before I continue posting my next one though.**

**xxx**


	59. Chapter 59

"Good morning gorgeous" Harry smiled as Nikki walked over to the breakfast table the next morning. He had woken before his lover, deciding to let her sleep in a bit more, he had showered and dressed, leaving Nikki a note before going down to breakfast.

Nikki leant down to kiss him and Harry wrapped his arm around her back, holding her gently and kissing her back.

"Morning" Nikki replied cheerfully as she drew away and sat down next to her fiancé, Harry leaning over and stealing another sneaky kiss, making Nikki giggle.

"Sleep well?"

"You know I did" Nikki giggled "You tired me out"

"Glad to be of service" Harry chuckled, smirking at Nikki and making her blush slightly. He could still make her feel like a inexperienced schoolgirl when he did that, something that Harry found cute. "Are you having breakfast?"

"Just a coffee" Nikki replied "or three"

Harry smiled and nodded as she stood up and made her way over to the breakfast bar, grabbing a mug and walking over to the coffee machine at the end of the table. Harry put the last piece of toast in his mouth and sat back in the chair, watching Nikki thoughtfully as he did so. They both knew that they would have to talk about the situation with her father, but Harry also knew that Nikki would try and avoid it as much as possible when they got back home.

"You look very deep in thought there, please don't hurt yourself"

Harry started slightly, he hadn't seen Nikki walk back to the table and sit down, he was too involved with his own thoughts.

"You're so mean" he sighed and Nikki giggled as she poured milk into her coffee, stirring it as she did so. "Where are we going today?"

"Book is in my bag" Nikki told him and Harry leant down to pick up her handbag off the floor next to her, fishing around in it for the travel book. He pulled it out and flicked through the pages that had been marked. Nikki just stared into her mug of coffee as he did so, wondering when they would both break and just talk about her father and the situation with him. She was still so confused about what she was feeling and what she and Harry were going to do.

"Piazza Navona?" Harry suggested, bringing Nikki out of her thoughts.

"Hmm" Nikki nodded, sipping her coffee as she did so.

"Aren't you going to eat?" Harry then asked, concerned for her, she normally ate a lot of breakfast, even at home.

"I'm not hungry" Nikki shook her head, putting her mug down on the table and reaching over to entwine her hand with Harry's, smiling at him. "Don't worry about me I'm fine"

"You normally have breakfast, aren't you feeling well?"

"I'm fine Harry" Nikki laughed, shaking her head and rolling her eyes "I just don't want any breakfast"

"Well don't come moaning to me today when you're wasting away and hungry" Harry told her, injecting some of his usual humour into it. Nikki giggled again and shook her head.

"I have a long way to go before I waste away Harry" she replied and Harry looked her up and down appreciatively.

"No you don't" he replied quietly, knowing that it was a danger zone when talking to a woman about their weight. He didn't know what to say and whether or not he would get yelled at.

"Nice save Harry"

"Thank you"

They both laughed quietly with each other, Harry leaning over and kissing his fiancé gently on the lips.

"I love you" he told her and Nikki nodded, a wide smile on her face.

"I love you"

"This is the fountain in Angels and Demons" Nikki stated a few hours later as they stood looking at the Four River Fountain. A large fountain depicting images of four rivers, the Nile, the Danube, the Ganges and the Rio de la Plata. One from Africa, Asia, Europe and America.

"_Really?_" Harry enquired as he took a picture of the fountain. Nikki threw him a withering look.

"Read the book Harry"

"I will"

"No you won't"

"You're right I won't, I'll just watch the film, it's easier" Harry chuckled and Nikki rolled her eyes, looping her arms through one of Harry's and stepping closer to him.

"The book is completely different" she told him, never taking her eyes off the amazing fountain in front of her, amazed that such a master piece was entirely handmade. It just didn't seem possible.

"I'll take your word for it" Harry muttered, nudging Nikki gently in the side and making her tut loudly, shaking her head at him. "Yes?"

"Nothing" Nikki giggled, taking his hand in hers and pulling him towards the fountain for a closer look. "Can you believe that this was built by hand? It doesn't seem possible"

"Another one of your philosophical musings my love?" Harry enquired with a chuckle, causing Nikki to reach back and elbow him lightly in the ribs. "Again with the abuse" he pouted and Nikki turned slightly and kissed him gently. "Hmm, I think I forgive you"

"Good" she murmured against his lips "Because there would be no making love until you did"

"You're evil" Harry told her, poking her in the side as turned back around to look at the fountain, still in awe of it.

"I know" Nikki giggled as Harry wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and stepped a bit closer to her. "But you love me"

"Yes I do" Harry nodded, pressing a kiss onto the back of her head "Very much"

Nikki felt that warm feeling seeping through her again and couldn't help but smile widely as Harry said that. She had been waiting so long for Harry to say it to her and it still made her feel extremely happy when he did so. Harry reached down and took her hand in his, gently playing with the engagement ring on her finger, a smile gracing his face as he did so.

"I _still_ can't believe that you said yes" he whispered into her neck as he rested his chin on her shoulder, bringing her hand up so he could see the ring properly.

"I can't believe you asked me" Nikki responded with a giggle, turning her head slightly so she could see him. "After all this time of dancing around each other it only takes a few weeks for us to get engaged"

"It's not too soon it is?" Harry asked quickly, worried that Nikki was changing her mind.

"No" Nikki told him, shaking her head and giving him a smile as she turned in his arms and wrapped her own around his neck, Harry's hands going to her hips and rubbing them gently. "I love you so much and I want to be your wife and have lots of your babies"

Harry grinned and her, leaning down to kiss her gently, Nikki running one hand through her hair.

"You're amazing, I hope you know that" he whispered against her lips, before kissing her again.

"Right, smartie, I bet you can't tell me what fountain this is" Harry challenged Nikki half an hour later as they made their way around the large square, three fountains, including the Four Rivers, dominating it.

"That would be...Fountain of Neptune" Nikki told her lover and he sighed in frustration "Harry you know I read that book front to back on the plane" she giggled and Harry rolled his eyes.

"Why do I even try?"

"Because you're a man, you're very trying" Nikki giggled, squealing slightly as Harry made a grab for her ribs, knowing she was ticklish there. "Don't you dare"

"Aww Nicola" Harry sighed "You ruin my fun"

"I'll make it up to you later" Nikki stated with a smirk and Harry raised an eyebrow "Now take pictures"

"Yes ma'am"

"You're burnt" Harry told Nikki later on as they got ready for dinner that evening. Nikki turned to Harry and then looked down at her semi naked body that was covered by a towel, seeing that he was right. Her arms and legs were slightly red, as well as her shoulders and the top of her chest that had been exposed.

"It doesn't hurt"

"It will later" Harry told her sympathetically, motioning for her to lie on the bed. Nikki smirked and did as she was told. "There's some after sun in the suitcase that should soothe it slightly"

"Only if you put it on"

"It would be my pleasure" Harry smiled as he held up the bottle and shook it slightly. "How long until dinner?"

"An hour"

"Just enough time" Harry chuckled, climbing onto his lover and leaning down to kiss her on the lips.

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**I want to get this story posted as quickly as possible so there might be frantic uploading of chapters in the next few days. If you want that of course ;)**

**xxx**


	60. Chapter 60

"God I look awful" Nikki moaned as she flicked through the photos on the camera that evening after dinner. She was sitting on the balcony watching the sun go down, Harry sitting on the chair opposite her massaging her feet slightly.

"No you don't" he told her truthfully "You look beautiful"

"If you say so"

"I do, now stop putting yourself down. You're beautiful and gorgeous"

"Hmm"

There was silence for a few seconds in which Harry observed Nikki closely. There was obviously something wrong with her for her to be this quiet and moody with both herself and him.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing"

"Nikki"

"I said _nothing_" Nikki snapped at him, drawing her feet away from him and standing up, throwing the camera onto the chair and storming into the room. Harry picked up the camera and quickly followed her, reaching out to grab her hand and pull her back into him. "Harry let go"

"Tell me what's wrong"

"No, I'm fine"

"No you're not" Harry told her loudly, throwing the camera onto the bed and gripping Nikki's wrists a bit tighter as she struggled. "Tell me, please"

"No" Nikki sobbed, shaking her head and looking at the floor, tears falling from her eyes as she spoke. "Leave..me ..alone" she cried weakly, her voice barely a whisper through her tears.

"No Nikki" Harry replied softly, shaking his head and leading her over to the bed where he sat them both down "Now please tell me, I hate seeing you like this?"

"I can't tell you" she cried.

"Has something happened to you?" Harry enquired, suddenly worried that something happened to Nikki the day before when they had been separated for the entire morning. He hadn't stopped to think what might have happened while Nikki was wandering around an unfamiliar city on her own.

"No" Nikki shook her head and buried her face in his chest, gripping onto him tightly. "Sorry, I'm just being hormonal. I am a woman after all"

"True"

"Stop being mean, I'm upset" Nikki chuckled tearfully into his chest and Harry leant down to kiss her on the top of the head.

"Okay?"

Nikki nodded, taking a deep breath to calm herself down as she reached up and wiped her face. She wasn't okay though. She couldn't tell Harry why though, not during the holiday, maybe when they got home and sorted themselves out back there. But with her father's problem as well she was terrified.

"I can see why you wanted to come here" Harry told Nikki later on that evening as he walked onto the balcony where Nikki was standing. She jumped slightly and turned to look at Harry as he pushed the curtain aside and then sat down on one of the chairs. Nikki nodded and turned back to leaning on the railing, looking over at the lit up city, most of all the lit up Castel Sant' Angelo. "It's beautiful"

"It is" Nikki smiled, not taking her eyes off the city as she spoke "I've wanted to come here ever since I saw picture of it lit up at night, like this" she nodded towards the lights. "Thank you for bringing me"

"You're welcome darling" Harry replied and Nikki turned to him and smiled at the pet name, for some reason she loved it when he called her 'darling'. Coming from Harry it sounded so endearing. He reached over and took Nikki's hand in his, gently tugging her arm and pulling her closer to him. Nikki smiled as she climbed into his lap and snuggled closer to him, Harry's arm snaking around her back and his hand resting on her hip, his other resting on her dress covered thigh. "There are only two more places that we both want to visit" he told her and Nikki nodded.

"Well we've got four days left, not including the day we're leaving because the plane leaves at ten in the morning I think, so we won't be doing anything that day"

"We can have a rest tomorrow, go somewhere the next day, and the day after and then spend the day before we go home resting as well"

"You've got it all worked out, I'm surprised" Nikki giggled at him and Harry poked her in the side.

"Thank you" Harry replied dryly, leaning down and kissing her, rubbing her thigh gently with his thumb. Nikki however broke away and yawned loudly. "I'm sorry do I bore you?"

"Well if you hadn't kept me up all last night then I wouldn't be tired now"

"I do believe it was you" he poked her in the ribs gently, making her squirm "who kept me up all night"

Nikki giggled at Harry's innuendo and her lover grinned cheekily at her.

"Well tonight I'm sleeping" Nikki told him as she hopped off his lap and tried to walk into the room. Harry however grabbed her wrist and refused to let her go, trying to pull her back into him. "Harry I'm tired" she whined, pouting at him, knowing that he couldn't refuse that look even if he tried.

"Why do you use that look?" Harry sighed as he stood up and allowed Nikki to lead him by the hand into the room, closing the balcony doors behind him. "You know I can't resist it"

"You've just answered your own question there" Nikki laughed, letting go of his hand and picking up her pyjamas, something she hadn't worn a lot of during the holiday. "and I intend to get a lot of sleep tonight to catch up on what I've lost"

"It was worth losing sleep though" Harry grinned at her and Nikki nodded, backing into the bathroom as she did so.

"Most definitely"

While Nikki was in the shower she thought everything that she was keeping from Harry. She knew he had the right to know, but she was scared. Every other man in her life had let her down, she knew Harry was different but she was still terrified that he would realise what she was like and leave her. Nikki was then conscious of tears streaming down her face, she hated what she had done to herself over the past years, all the one night stands that she had just to try and replace Harry for one night. They never worked, she had always imagined that it was Harry with her, not some random stranger that she had picked up to try and ease her loneliness.

Harry was about to start undressing for bed when the bathroom door opened and he got an armful of naked, wet Nikki, grabbing onto him and sobbing into her chest, crying to him repeatedly about how she was sorry for everything. Harry was too shocked to respond as he wrapped his arms around his soaking and shivering lover, rubbing her back gently.

"What are you sorry for Nikki?" he asked quietly as he led her into the bathroom, grabbing a large towel and wrapping it around Nikki gently before pulling her back into his arms.

"For being a complete slut" Nikki told him forcibly into his chest "I was lonely and I thought..that..they would..make me...I always..imagined..you when..they...were..."

Harry closed his eyes and pressed his lips to her damp hair before lifting her chin so she was looking at him, tears streaming from her eyes as she refused to make eye contact with him.

"Nikki look at me"

Nikki shook her head.

"Nicola"

She did as she was told and Harry shook his head, an angry look on his face.

"Don't _ever_ call yourself a slut again, how many times do I have to tell you?" he told her forcibly and Nikki let out a loud sob and shook her head. "You are _not_ a slut"

"I am" Nikki sobbed, nodding and looking at the bathroom floor again. Harry sighed and took her hand in his, leading her through to the bedroom and sitting her on the bed, kneeling in front of her. He took her hands in his and held them gently. "There's been so many men that.."

"No there hasn't" Harry interrupted "You only think there's lots because you're in a state like this"

"So many times..that I've..wished..that I'd...waited for...you" Nikki cried, tears slipping down her face "I..know it's.._stupid_ but..I wish..that you were..my first.."

Harry had no idea where all this was coming from but he had to sort his fiancé out and try to show that she wasn't any of the names that she was calling herself.

"It's not stupid Nikki" Harry sighed, reaching up and running one hand through her damp hair "I wish that you were _my_ first, because I love you so much and no-one else even comes close to you"

"Why do you want me Harry?" Nikki whispered suddenly "I mean there are better women than me out there and..."

"Nikki don't you dare finish that sentence" Harry told her loudly and Nikki looked at him in shock "I am in love with you because you are the most intelligent, loving, passionate, happy woman that I have ever or will ever meet. As well as the fact that you are absolutely beautiful and you're the only one who will put up with me and my awful jokes"

Nikki smiled slightly when she heard the last one but it soon faded from her face as she shook her head.

"Where's all this coming from Nikki?" Harry asked sadly, his eyes downcast as he spoke "What's wrong?"

"I don't know" Nikki shook her head "I just feel so insecure"

"Why?"

"Because everything is so perfect" she shouted at him suddenly, pushing him away as she stood up and moved away from him across the room "We're finally together, Leo approves, Janet approves, we're getting married, we're..trying for a baby and it's too perfect" she yelled as Harry stood up and advanced on her.

"Things can be this perfect Nikki" he told her but Nikki shook her head "Yes they can, you just don't realise that. I've never had anything this perfect either and it's scary I know, but it's real"

Nikki just broke down again and started to cry, Harry quickly walked over to her and wrapped her securely in his arms, rubbing her back gently and running his other hand through her hair as he whispered to her how much he loved her and how amazing she was. Nikki exhausted herself quickly and Harry led her over to the bed, gently drying the rest of her and then helping her into her pyjamas, then pulling the duvet over her and kissing her on the lips and then the forehead. She was asleep by the time he finished telling her that he loved her.

* * *

**R.s exam on Friday :( Might upload another chapter tonight to cheer myself up.**

**xxx**


	61. Chapter 61

"Hmm I think I like this" Harry commented as he walked into the bedroom from the bathroom to see Nikki laying in bed completely naked. They had spent the best part of the morning making love, deciding to skip breakfast in favour of staying in bed together. Nikki turned away from where she was looking out of the balcony door, the curtains closed but fluttering in the breeze, and smiled at her lover. "Cold?"

"A bit" Nikki nodded and Harry walked over to the balcony doors and closed them "I'm still cold"

Harry turned to his lover and saw she had that pout on her face, making him cave instantly.

"I'm sure you can warm me up"

Harry didn't say anything as he walked over to the bed and climbed on, laying down next to Nikki and stroking her hair gently with one hand, leaning down to kiss her lazily. His other hand quickly made its way down her body and he began to tease her slowly, all the time kissing her and stroking her hair. Nikki moaned into his mouth and opened her legs a bit more as Harry quickened his pace, slipping his hand down and quickly pressing one finger into her, before removing it and going back to teasing her again. Harry broke the kiss and propped himself up on his elbow as Nikki's breathing quickened slightly, arching into his hand a bit as he slowed down his teasing.

"Like that?"

"You know damn well I do" Nikki murmured, gasping as Harry pressed harder and quickened his pace, once more pressing his finger into her and them removing it. He continued to do this until Nikki's breathing became erratic, loud moans falling from her lips as she continued to arch into his hand, Harry's name coming from her lips in breathy pants. Harry could feel her coming close to the edge and he reached over with his free hand as Nikki went to reach down and hurry the process up. She moaned and her eyes flickered shut, his name falling from her lips. She was just about to topple over the edge when Harry removed his hand from her. Nikki's eyes flew open and she moaned, arching her hips slightly, her breathing still heavy.

"Harry please" she murmured, licking her lips, her eyes begging him. Harry just smirked and kissed his way down her body, paying particular attention to her breasts and stomach. "Harry please" Nikki yelled as he refused to touch her where she needed him. "God Harry"

Harry chuckled against her thigh and then moved upwards, licking her slowly and making her arch into him, a low moan escaping her mouth as she gripped the sheets next to her tightly. It didn't take long before Nikki cried out his name loudly. Harry however continued to tease her with his tongue and fingers and it wasn't long before another strong orgasm washed over her unexpectedly.

"Harry yes" she yelled, reaching down and gripping his head tightly as he continued to tease her through her orgasm. Harry grinned wolfishly up at her as he moved away and licked his lips and fingers, making sure to keep eye contact with Nikki as he did so. He then crawled up her body and kissed her, Nikki deepening the kiss and reached down to stroke his erection gently, parting her legs slightly and arching into him. Harry however broke the kiss and raised an eyebrow at her. "Want you in me"

"Oh really?"

"Yes" Nikki nodded quickly, licking her lips "Now"

"and what if I don't want to comply with this?" Harry smirked at her. The smirk however was wiped off his face as Nikki quickly flipped them both over so she was straddling him.

"You, Dr Cunningham don't have a choice" she grinned as Harry rested his hands on her hips.

Forty-five minutes later and they were kissing lazily in bed, neither of them wanting to move away from the other. Harry moved them so Nikki was laying on her back with him next to her, still kissing, one hand running gently through her hair, the other resting on her arm. Nikki had one hand on his shoulder, her other drawing random patterns on his chest.

"I love doing this" Harry told her quietly as he broke away and kissed her forehead gently before going back to her lips "Just laying here like this with you"

"Hmm, I think you're going soppy in your old age Dr Cunningham" Nikki murmured and Harry gave her an incredulous look.

"I'm not old" he protested and Nikki giggled "But I do love it, just laying here kissing you without having to think about anything else"

"I know" Nikki nodded, playing gently with his hair "I love it as well, I'm glad that you don't just roll over and go to sleep"

"I wouldn't do that to you" Harry whispered, kissing her again "And I love the glow you get after we've made love"

"I do not have a glow" Nikki protested, sitting up slightly and propping herself up on her elbows as Harry laughed at her.

"Yes you do"

"No I do not"

"Yes you do" Harry insisted with a nod of his head "It's a very well satisfied glow"

"Don't" Nikki murmured good naturedly as she pushed Harry away and sat up, swinging her legs over the side of the bed and standing up. Harry reached over and grabbed his watch to look at the time, lunch would be served in the dining room in half an hour, just enough time for a shower. He looked back at Nikki and she opened the balcony doors, but kept the thin curtains closed.

"Lunch is served in half an hour"

"Enough time for a shower" Nikki nodded as she made her way over to the bathroom.

"That's what I thought" Harry chuckled, climbing out of bed and padding over to his lover. "How long will you be?"

"Fifteen minutes?" Nikki shrugged and Harry rolled his eyes, knowing that she would be in there for longer than fifteen minutes. "I'll be quick I promise"

"Okay" Harry nodded "Or we could share" he smirked.

Nikki smiled and grabbed his hand, pulling him into the bathroom, leaving the door wide open.

"I honestly need to stop eating all that Italian food" Nikki moaned later on as she attempted to do a cropped pair of trousers up, with a little bit of difficulty, until she finally did so and let out a breath. Harry wandered out of the bathroom, having no idea what she was on about and just nodded in agreement. Nikki rolled her eyes at her fiancé's obliviousness and grabbed a t-shirt, pulling it on quickly. "All this Italian food is making me bloat"

"You're gorgeous" Harry told her, stealing a kiss as he walked past "and you don't look any different" he added, looking her up and down.

"Trust me I do" Nikki scoffed and Harry shook his head, muttering something about women. "What?"

"I don't know why you're so concerned about your looks" Harry told her with a shrug "I mean you're beautiful and perfect the way you are, there's nothing wrong with you"

"There's always something wrong with me" Nikki muttered to herself, turning away from Harry and looking in the mirror.

"Please don't say that again" Harry sighed, wrapping his arms around her from behind and resting his chin on her shoulder "You're perfect"

"Hmm" Nikki shrugged, running one hand through her hair and reaching for a hair band, not bothering with anything fancy today, not when she felt awful anyway.

Harry had no idea where this moodiness came from, one minute she was laughing and joking with him, the next she was upset about her figure, something Nikki normally didn't worry about. He was so confused, he would never understand women.

* * *

**Yeah Harry, don't try and understand women ;)**

**xxx**


	62. Chapter 62

"Where are we going tomorrow?" Nikki asked Harry later that evening as she pottered around the bedroom, Harry sitting on the balcony with the doors and curtains wide open. "I need to know what clothes to get out"

"Wherever you want to go sweetheart" Harry replied, not turning away from the view of Rome, the light fading quickly and the lights turning on. "You wanted to go to baths don't you? What are they called?"

"Caracalla thermal baths" Nikki told him, rolling her eyes as he shook his head.

"Smarty" Harry chuckled and Nikki poked her tongue out at him "Apparently it's going to be warm tomorrow"

"What a change"

"You need to work on your sarcasm" Harry laughed as Nikki walked onto the balcony, he gripped her wrist gently and pulled her towards him. Nikki climbed onto his lap and kissed him, one hand on his cheek, gently stroking it as she deepened the kiss. Harry wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her even closer to him, their tongues battling for dominance. He ran one hand up the back of her pyjama top but Nikki broke away from him and yawned.

"Sorry"

"Don't worry, you've had a tiring day" Harry chuckled "Even if we only left the hotel for an hour"

Nikki chuckled and kissed him again, climbing off his lap and straightening her top.

"I'm going to bed"

"I won't be long" Harry replied and Nikki nodded, stealing another quick kiss "I love you"

"I love you"

She then walked into the bedroom and a few seconds later Harry heard the bathroom door close. He then looked back at the view of Rome and smiled, as much as he loved being on holiday with Nikki without any interruptions, he couldn't wait to get back to England, and he knew Nikki couldn't either. He was already planning to take Nikki on holiday again next year, somewhere else, maybe Austria or the south of France. The bathroom door opened and Nikki called out goodnight, Harry replied and then he heard the bedclothes rustle as Nikki climbed into the bed. When Harry walked into the bedroom fifteen minutes later Nikki was already deep asleep, a content smile on her face.

"I moan about eating too much and then I do it all over again" Nikki chuckled the next morning during breakfast as she pushed her empty plate away and picked up her mug of coffee. "But to be honest, I like food too much"

Harry laughed quietly and put the last piece of breakfast in his mouth, chewing slowly and thoughtfully as he looked Nikki up and down.

"There's nothing wrong with you" Harry rolled his eyes "Well..."

Nikki slapped him on the arm, giggling as he chuckled loudly.

"Don't be mean"

"I'm sorry" he apologised, leaning over and kissing Nikki on the lips.

"No you're not" Nikki giggled and Harry gave her an offended look, placing his hand over his heart.

"You wound me" he pouted and Nikki kissed him again.

"How are we going to tell Leo about us?"

"Well he knows I was going to propose" Harry told his lover, nuzzling her neck slightly as he kissed it, then moved away, remembering that they were in the middle of a dining room, even though they were the only ones there. "But he has been a bit distracted lately"

"Probably with Janet" Nikki nodded, playing absentmindedly with Harry's hair as she spoke. Harry made a face and Nikki rolled her eyes. "Not like that. I mean with her worried about not being able to conceive"

"They'll do it in the end, it sometimes takes a while"

"I hope it doesn't with us" Harry told her quietly, glancing down at her stomach and making Nikki's stomach do a flip. "It would be nice to get pregnant straight away wouldn't it?"

"Yes it would" Nikki nodded quickly, kissing him again and then draining her coffee. She stood up and held out her hand to Harry, he downed the rest of her coffee as he stood up, taking her hand and allowing his fiancé to lead him out of the restaurant and up to their room to get ready to go out.

"What are you smirking at?" Harry asked his lover a few hours later as they stood around the rundown thermal baths that were scattered over a wide area, some still standing, other's dilapidated and overgrown with plants. However it was still a beautiful place on the side of a hill, the views around them outstanding.

"Imagining the hundreds of naked men that used to use these" Nikki giggled and Harry threw her an exasperated look, which made her laugh louder.

"Am I not enough for you?" he pouted, trying to look offended. Nikki chuckled and patted him on the chest as she walked past him.

"Oh you are more than enough for me sweetheart" she told him, sending him a flirty look before she turned her back on him and walked down one of the paths to get a better look at the ruins. Harry shook his head as he followed her, taking time to run his eyes appreciatively over her form from behind. "I can feel your eyes on me Cunningham"

"Can't a man look at his fiancé anymore?" Harry chuckled as he jogged to catch up with her, reaching down to entwine their hands as they walked along the stony path. "I can't help the fact that you're stunningly beautiful all the time and I can't take my eyes off you"

Nikki blushed slightly and gave him a smile. Harry then motioned discreetly towards a man they had just passed. He had seen the man looked Nikki up and down, a look on his face that Harry didn't like. Not because he was looking at Nikki, Harry had got used to all the men who appreciated his fiancé from a distance, but this man's look disturbed Harry slightly. He reached up and placed his hand on Nikki's lower back, rubbing it gently.

"I didn't like the way that man looked at you" he whispered and Nikki shook her head, sighing as she took a discreet look at the man. She couldn't help but shudder slightly when she saw him, there was something about him that made her uneasy. "See what I mean?"

"Hmm, he does..."

"Make you feel uneasy?" Harry murmured and Nikki nodded, stepping a bit closer to her fiancé who smirked down at her "I'll protect you my love don't worry"

Nikki giggled and rolled her eyes, wrapping her arm around Harry's back as they continued to walk down the path.

"My own knight in shining armour"

"Wouldn't gladiator be more appropriate?" Harry grinned and Nikki laughed and nodded.

"A lot better, considering they were half naked and sweaty most of the time"

"I'm sure we can get to that later on" her fiancé whispered into her ear and Nikki shivered in anticipation, licking her lips as she did so. "Only I'll be fully naked for you"

They had hardly walked into the hotel room when Nikki shut the door quickly behind them and pushed Harry towards the bed, brining his head down so she could kiss him roughly, quickly pulling his t-shirt over his head and throwing it to the floor, capturing his lips again before he could say anything. She ran her hands over his toned chest and stomach, pushing him down onto the bed and smirking at him. Harry looked her up and down as he reached over to pull her onto his lap. Nikki however shook her head and pulled her t-shirt off, throwing it to the floor, her bra soon joining it.

"I've got the upper hand this time Harry" she told him, pushing him down onto the bed and straddling him, kissing him once more.

"Nikki I've just thought of something" Harry frowned as he sat in the middle of the bed, sheet pooled around his naked waist. Nikki looked over at him as she walked in from the bathroom, dressed only in his shirt that was miles too big for her, but seemed to suit her figure.

"Oh dear" she giggled as she flicked her hair over her shoulder and picked up a hair band, looking in the mirror as she brushed her hair back with her hands.

"I've seen you naked every day for the past month, whether we've made love or not" Harry told her and Nikki frowned, wondering where this was going. "Right?"

"Right" Nikki replied slowly, sending him a confused look before turning back to the mirror.

"and I know I'm a man and I'm not in tune with this sort of thing, but when did you last have your period?"

* * *

**...first exam tomorrow, don't know anything so what am I doing?..uploading to make myself feel better :D**

**xxx**


	63. Chapter 63

"_and I know I'm a man and I'm not in tune with this sort of thing, but when did you last have your period?"_

Nikki ran one hand through her hair slowly, letting out a short breath as she did so. She quickly put her hair up into a messy ponytail and then turned to Harry who was looking at her expectantly. Nikki saw him glance quickly at her stomach and she couldn't help but follow his line of sight. She knew he wouldn't be that oblivious to her and her body, he wasn't stupid.

"I'm meant to have just come off this month's" Nikki told him "and the month before it was shorter than normal. Why?"

"What do you mean 'why?'" Harry chuckled "That's one missed period Nikki"

"So? I sometimes miss them, I always have"

"Bit of a coincidence don't you think?"

"Harry stop it" Nikki snapped, turning around and glaring at him "You don't understand how a woman's body works, so shut _up_"

Harry looked taken aback as he heard Nikki's tone. He had only wanted to bring the subject up that there might be a slight possibility that she was pregnant. He hadn't meant to upset her.

"I'm sorry, I just..."

"Well don't" Nikki told him tersely "Because we've only been trying a few weeks and there's no way.."

"Of course there is" Harry interrupted. He hadn't meant to, but it just slipped out "There's a chance that you could be pregnant"

"Stop getting your hopes up Harry" Nikki whispered, her eyes clouding with tears as she shook her head "It's _one_ missed period"

"I'm sorry" Harry murmured, looking away from his fiancé as he spoke. He shouldn't have got his hopes up over one skipped month, but he wanted children with Nikki so badly that he couldn't help but get excited.

"Look I'm sorry for shouting" Nikki told him quietly as she climbed into bed with him and wrapped her arms around him, resting her head on his shoulder. "But you _can't_ get excited over one skipped period, it won't be fair on you if you keep doing that and it comes to nothing. Okay maybe two months I would let you, but one month isn't worth getting excited over"

"I just want a baby so badly with you"

"I know, I'm the same" Nikki giggled, kissing his cheek gently "I had to stop myself from telling you that I was late, and then that I'd skipped it. I was going to see what happened next month"

"If you have one next month would you have told me about missing this month's?"

"No" Nikki whispered, kissing him on the temple as Harry turned to look at her "There would have been no point"

Instead of replying, Harry kissed her on the lips, pushing her down onto the bed and smiling as she allowed him to pull his t-shirt over her head. Kissing her more passionately as he dropped the clothing to the floor, both of them needing to take their minds off it.

"Hmm..you smell nice" Harry murmured an hour later as they both relaxed in the afterglow of their love making. He nuzzled Nikki's neck gently and pressed small kisses to her skin, making her giggle as he ran one hand gently over her ribs.

"Don't" she laughed, squirming away from him "You know I'm ticklish there"

Harry grinned at her as he moved away, bringing the other hand to her ribs as well as he started to tickle her mercilessly.

"Harry...please.." Nikki squealed as she curled up and tried to push him away, laughing loudly as her fiancé continued to tickle her. "No..."

"What's it worth?" Harry asked, slowing his hands down slightly so they were just grazing Nikki's naked skin as she tried to catch her breath.

"You may take a bath with me later on" Nikki told him as she sat up and knelt on her knees, leaning up slightly so she was eye level with Harry. He smirked at her as he leant forward and kissed him, straddling his lap and reaching down to wrap her hand around his member, making Harry gasp slightly.

An hour later found Harry and Nikki relaxing in the large bath together. Nikki sitting between Harry's legs with her back against his chest, Harry's arms wrapped around her waist under the bubbly water, both of them just content with the other's company.

"Harry?"

"Hmm?"

"Don't tell Leo or Janet about me being late. Please" Nikki told him quietly as she opened her eyes and turned slightly to look at him.

"Why not?" Harry asked, reaching up to stroke her cheek gently as he leant down to kiss her.

"Because they've been trying for over five months now and they haven't got anywhere" Nikki reminded her fiancé "and if we're..you know, I don't want any arguments. And we don't know anyway"

"If we are pregnant then we're going to have to tell them anyway" Harry told her "Whether it hurts them or not"

"I know but.." Nikki trailed off and shrugged, flicking some of the bubbles that were heaped on the surface of the water "I just want to be one hundred and ten percent sure that we're having a baby before we tell them"

"I know" Harry nodded, leaning forward and pressing his lips to the back of her head, breathing in her comforting smell. "What with your father as well"

"Are we going to take the baby?" Nikki asked Harry quietly, turning in the bath so she was facing him, their chests pressed together. Harry wrapped his arms around her back and rubbed it gently as he nodded. He had done a lot of thinking since Nikki had informed him of the situation, and he knew Nikki had done as well. However when it came down to it, Harry only had one answer.

"I think we both want to, don't you think?"

Nikki smiled and nodded, leaning up to kiss him, running one wet hand through his hair and making it stick up at odd angles.

"I didn't think you would want to" Nikki whispered as she broke away "I mean raising another man's baby..another _woman's _baby"

"Don't be silly, the baby is related to you anyway"

"I keep forgetting that" Nikki chuckled and Harry grinned at her, kissing her gently again before leaning his head against the back of the bath. The reality of their probable future situation not having hit them properly yet.

"When is the baby due?"

"I have no idea" Nikki frowned "I was too angry at dad to ask questions. I suppose I better talk to him about it"

"No time like the present" Harry told her, reaching for her mobile that was on the side next to the sink. Nikki sighed and dried her hands, taking the phone from her fiancé and then finding her father's number on her phone. It was answered after a few rings.

"_Nikki?" _Victor seemed confused as to why his daughter was ringing him, and not the other way around. Harry was close enough to the phone to be able to hear whatever the other man was saying. _"Are you alright?"_

"I'm fine dad" Nikki replied, licking her lips slightly as she answered "I was just ringing to.." she trailed off and Harry nodded at her encouragingly. "When is the baby due?"

"_Next month" _Victor told his daughter.

"Do you know what she's having?"

"_No" _her father replied _"Why are you..?" _he stopped talking and Nikki made a small noise of confirmation.

"Harry and I are going to have the baby" Nikki told her father. It felt so good saying it that a smile unexpectedly spread over her face. Harry chuckled and leant down to kiss the top of her head, rubbing her back gently under the water. "and we're going to raise it as our own, not me being big sister"

"_I think that is best"_ Victor agreed _"Will you ever tell the child?"_

Nikki looked up at Harry for the answer to that one, they hadn't discussed that yet. He shrugged and then shook his head.

"We don't know, maybe, we'll see"

"_Okay, thank you so much Nikki. I know it's wrong of me but.."_

"No it's not dad" Nikki smiled, resting her head on Harry's chest "I know I shouted at you, but you're doing the right thing"

"_You can give the child a better life than I ever could"_ Victor told his daughter and she heard him getting choked up _"a better life than I gave you"_

"A month" Harry stated when Nikki hung up the phone a few minutes later "That gives us enough time to get baby things and decorate the spare room"

"Do you think I'll be a good mother?" Nikki whispered, seemingly having not heard what Harry had said "What if I'm not and I mess up the baby's childhood?"

"Don't be silly" Harry chuckled, leaning down to kiss her gently "You're going to be an amazing mummy. I promise. Now let's get out of this bath before we start to prune"

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**I think you all knew there was only one probable way that I could write and that would be them getting the baby :D. and poor Harry, still confused and unknowing about women and that time of the month XD.**

**xxx**


	64. Chapter 64

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Nikki asked Harry as they sat in her car outside his mother's house. They had been back from Rome for two days and Harry had finally plucked up the courage to go to the house.

"I want to do it before the funeral tomorrow" he nodded, unclipping his seat belt and opening the passenger side door. "Come on" he sighed, climbing out and waiting for Nikki to do the same.

"Harry do you want a drink?" Nikki asked her fiancé from the doorway of the living room where he was sitting on the sofa. While he had been brooding, Nikki had taken a tour of the house, surprised at how big it really was. She hadn't seen the true size the couple of times she had been here to have dinner. She had no idea if Anne had owned it or not, but knew it had to be expensive. However the fact that her husband had been a top doctor might have had something to do with it.

"I found mum's will" Harry told Nikki quietly from where he was sitting "and a letter saying that her lawyer has one as well of course"

Nikki nodded and walked over to him, sitting down on the sofa and smiling as Harry pulled her closer and kissed the top of her head, breathing in her coconut shampoo.

"I didn't know..." he trailed off and shook his head, taking a deep breath and indicating to the will in his hand "Read it"

He handed it to Nikki who opened the page slowly, wondering why Harry seemed so distant and dazed after he had read it.

"Bloody hell" she whispered as she read through it and Harry made a small noise of agreement. However when Nikki got to the bottom of the page her eyes clouded over with tears. "She..she changed her will after she met me" she murmured and Harry nodded, burying his face in her hair as a few tears slipped from his eyes.

"I told you she liked you a lot" he muttered and took a deep breath "I didn't even know she had all that money, I mean I knew she _had_ quite a bit of money, just not that much. Probably from what dad earned, plus interest. Her family was well off as well apparently, from what I heard when I was growing up, I didn't realise how rich"

"Are you okay?" Nikki asked quietly and Harry shrugged, looking down at the will in his lover's hands.

"I don't know, it's a big deal. I don't know what to think"

"I'd be surprised if you did" Nikki smiled and leant up to kiss him "Your mum _owned_ this house then"

"Yeah" Harry grinned, looking around the large living room at all the pictures on the walls, some of him as he was growing up, some of his mother and father, some with all three of them. He hoped that one day there would be pictures of him, Nikki and their children as well. "When I was a child this place was huge"

"It is now" Nikki giggled, glancing around the room as well "I looked around, is that okay?"

"Of course it is. It's ours now apparently"

"Yours"

"Ours" Harry corrected Nikki, giving her a small kiss "Mum said in the will that she left it to both of us. And we're getting married so it's _ours_"

"Well we'll just have to wait until the reading to hear it for real"

"It's the same will Nikki" Harry rolled his eyes "So I'm afraid you'll have to deal with the fact that this house is ours now, that includes you" he chuckled and Nikki grinned at him before kissing him once more. "Come on, we have other rooms to sort out"

"I think mum was trying to tell us something" Harry chuckled as they looked around the study, he kept glancing at the will in his hand. 'Harry I leave you and Nikki the house, blah blah blah. As you are very well aware it has six spare rooms and a junk room than can probably be converted into another bedroom. Use them well'. In other words, 'You two better give me a shed load of grandchildren'"

Nikki giggled loudly from where she was curled up on the computer chair next to the desk, watching as Harry poked around the room. She hoped that she and Harry had lots of children, being an only child wasn't as fun as people made it out to be. Nikki had always wanted a large family and she knew Harry did as well.

"I still can't believe the size of the house, you never told me your parents were rich"

"I didn't like to talk about it" Harry shrugged, looking embarrassed already and Nikki smiled slightly and nodded. "anyway I don't think they used most of it, the house was probably what they used the money for. They wanted lots of children you see, that's why the big house with lots of rooms, but they only got me"

"Well I'm glad that they had you" Nikki replied and Harry grinned as he walked over to her and leant down to kiss her on the lips again. Nikki then promised Anne silently that she and Harry would fulfil the dream of having lots of children running around the house.

"I'm glad they had me" he murmured against her lips and Nikki giggled loudly and shook her head in exasperation at her lover's antics.

"So this can be our room" Harry told Nikki as he pushed the door to one of the large bedrooms open "It wasn't used much"

"What about your mum's room?"

Harry made a face as Nikki said this.

"Nikki I'm not sleeping in the same room where my mum and dad.." he shuddered and Nikki laughed loudly, shaking her head as she slapped him on the shoulder, walking further into the room and looking around.

"We don't have to use the same bed you idiot" she giggled and Harry tried to look offended "But I like this room"

It had a large window facing the huge back garden and the light that shone in made the room light up.

"Then this will be our room" Harry told her, wandering through to the door on the other wall and opening it "On suite"

"Very nice" Nikki chuckled as she poked her head around the door "I can see why you didn't like to talk about it"

"It hasn't sunk in that it's mine" Harry murmured as he turned one of the taps. "Water still works, it just needs a bit of a tidy up, most of the house does. It's been weeks since someone has..." he trailed off and shrugged "anyway. We can move in here can't we?"

"I would love to" Nikki nodded, kissing him quickly before walking out of the bathroom and looking around the empty room that was going to be theirs. "I never dreamed about living in a house like this"

"It wasn't much fun as a child if I'm honest" Harry told her, leaning against the door frame and watching his fiancé "not on my own"

"Well I'm sure we can have lots of children running around this house" Nikki smiled coyly at him and Harry grinned at her.

"Do you know what I want right now?"

"Nope" Nikki responded, turning away from him and looking out of the large window again at the garden, imagining their children running around in it. She gasped slightly as she felt Harry quickly wrap his arms around her from behind and kiss her neck.

"I want to christen this room"

"How about we wait for a bed" Nikki gasped as Harry ran one hand up the front of her blouse and rubbed one of her breasts slowly, pressing his hand into the bra to get better access.

"Really?"

"Yes" Nikki nodded quickly, her eyes flickering closed as Harry licked her neck at her sensitive spot. Her knees felt weak already and she had to bite her lip to stop herself moaning loudly.

"Yes what?"

"Yes..we should..wait" Nikki told him, pushing his hands away and turning in his arms "Which won't be long"

Harry thought about it quickly.

"The lawyer wants to meet in two days, we could start moving in after that and it should take about two days?"

"Maybe" Nikki nodded, shrugging as well as she moved away from her fiancé. "It doesn't need that much cleaning either, the house I mean. It shouldn't take long"

"So we'll be in here by the end of the week?"

"Hopefully" Nikki grinned as Harry kissed her again.

* * *

**I claim artistic rights on the house and money, just because I wanted the house to be very big.**

**xxx**


	65. Chapter 65

"I can't believe she's gone" Harry whispered as he and Nikki stood at his mother's grave. Everyone else at the funeral, including Leo and Janet, had paid their respects, told Harry how sorry they were and had left. Leo giving both Harry and Nikki some time off, their unused annual leave. They were going to use that time to sort Anne's will out and to sort everything out with the house. "I know it's been two weeks but.."

"I know" Nikki nodded, wrapping her arms around Harry's waist and laying her head on his chest "You never expect a parent to just leave you do you?"

"No" Harry shook his head, kissing Nikki gently on the forehead and chuckling slightly "But as you said she's probably up there right now with your mum and Nan trading embarrassing stories of us from when we were children"

"Most likely" Nikki giggled as Harry took her hand in his and led her to the pathway that led to the church gate. "Especially my Nan, she loved a good story"

"Gossip more like" Harry laughed and Nikki nodded in agreement "You woman are all the same"

"Thank you" Nikki chuckled as her fiancé leant down and kissed her "Come on, back to ours"

"Which ours do you mean? Yours or the new one"

"Mine" Nikki replied, leaning against Harry's car as he fished around in his pockets for the car keys "I can't understand why your mum didn't want a wake"

"Neither can I. She loved a good party" Harry murmured distractedly "Aha" he grinned as he found the keys and Nikki rolled her eyes.

Nikki sighed as she ran one hand through her hair.

"What?" Harry asked as he looked away from the will in front of him on the table. The lawyer was coming around first thing the next day and Harry wanted one last look at the will beforehand.

"I need to call Jen and tell her about the holiday and the funeral. I really can't be bothered right now" Nikki moaned, leaning her head against the arm of the sofa where she was laying, book in her hand. "There's so much to tell her"

"Why don't you e-mail her" Harry suggested, motioning to the laptop that was on the table next to him "Easier than phoning and being kept on the phone for ten hours"

"It won't be ten hours" Nikki rolled her eyes, groaning as she sat up.

"I've heard your phone calls to them, they go on forever"

"Do not"

"Do"

"Do _not_" Nikki smirked as she walked past him to get the laptop. Harry however had a different idea and grabbed her around the waist, pulling her quickly onto his lap and making her laugh loudly. "Harry will you stop it?"

"No" Harry whispered against her neck as he kissed her warm skin, pushing her t-shirt aside so he could nibble his way across her shoulder as well. "You're looking very delectable right now"

"Well let me e-mail Jen and then you can have me" Nikki giggled, trying to reach for the laptop but finding that it was too far away. Harry laughed into her neck.

"Shorty"

"Oh God I have to e-mail the boys as well" Nikki groaned, squealing unexpectedly as Harry stood up with her in his arms.

"Later"

"What did you tell them?" Harry asked later on as they both lay in bed together, completely naked. Nikki had used her laptop instead of Harry's, which was conveniently in their bedroom, to send e-mails to her friends.

"That we had a nice time on holiday, the funeral went as well as a funeral can go, and we've got a busy couple of days so I can't contact them yet" Nikki told him, closing the lid of the laptop and putting it on the floor next to the bed.

"Didn't tell them about this?" Harry lifted her hand up to draw attention to her ring, before kissing her hand gently.

"That's not something you tell someone in an e-mail"

"Actually I have a slight confession" Harry sighed and Nikki frowned "I may have told Kathy and Jennifer that I was going to propose to you on holiday"

"and they kept it quiet?" Nikki asked, giggling loudly "My God they deserve medals for that. Why did you tell them anyway?"

"Because I needed advice" Harry blushed "I'm a male Nikki, I needed _women's_ advice"

"Well I'll make sure to tell them what a romantic proposal it was then" Nikki grinned, pushing Harry down onto his back and quickly straddling him, kissing him to stop him saying whatever he was going to.

"Nikki are you alright?" Harry enquired the next morning as Nikki walked out of the bathroom looking extremely pale. He placed his hand on her forehead just as she nodded.

"Was sick" she murmured, groaning as she rested her head on his chest "Wasn't nice"

"I'm not sure it was" Harry chuckled and lifted Nikki's face so she was looking at him. He wasn't going to say what was on his mind, he didn't want another argument with his fiancé. "You can go back to bed if you want"

"No I'm fine" Nikki shook her head, running one hand through her hair and giving him a smile "You want me with you when the lawyer's here don't you?"

"Not if you're not up to it"

"It's just a bit of morn..." Nikki trailed off and shook her head, blushing slightly when she realised what she had nearly said "Probably something I ate. I'm going to get dressed"

Harry sighed and shook his head as Nikki walked into the bedroom. He wondered why she wouldn't accept that she might be pregnant already. It was a very good possibility.

"Harry you weren't aware of your mother's assets were you?" Gary Blake, the lawyer, addressed Harry some hours later.

"Not until I read my copy of the will" Harry replied, smiling at Nikki as she walked into the room "Feeling better?"

Nikki nodded and gave him a smile as she sat on the sofa next to him. During Mr Blake's previous conversation with Harry she had had to rush out of the room to be sick.

"I hope it's nothing to serious" Mr Blake told Nikki who just smiled and shook her head.

"Nothing serious"

"Good. Now your mother has left everything to you and Miss Alexander here" the lawyer continued "Including the house, her holiday home and the money"

"Holiday home?" Harry asked, a frown on his face "Where's the holiday home? That wasn't on my will"

"Well it seems she's given you a different version to mine" Mr Blake told them as he compared the wills "Different amounts of money as well. But she said that mine is the proper one"

Harry had no clue why his mother had given two different wills. But this was his mother he was on about, who knew why she did most of the things that she did.

"The holiday home is in Miami" Mr Blake added quickly and Harry raised an eyebrow at Nikki who chuckled slightly at the dumbfounded look on Harry's face. "You had no idea she had it?"

"None at all" Harry shook his head "Who knows what the hell that woman was doing" he chuckled and Nikki giggled loudly into his chest. "I remember her going on holiday once a year a few years back. Can't remember where it was but it was obviously Miami, to the holiday home that I never knew she had"

"Not that you would have taken advantage" Nikki laughed and Harry tried to look offended.

"Of course not"

"Why don't I believe you"

"I'm offended" Harry gasped, placing one hand over his chest. Nikki giggled and leant up to kiss him, shaking her head as she drew back. "And what do you mean there's different amounts of money on both wills?" he addressed Mr Blake this time.

"Well there is less on the one your mother gave you"

"Wh..what?" Harry stuttered as Mr Blake nodded, a smile on his face. "How much.."

"Your mother has left just over six million to you and Miss Alexander"

"I'm.." Harry shook his head and ran one hand through his hair "I didn't..not that much"

Nikki looked from the lawyer to her shocked fiancé, she too trying to figure out something to say.

"There's a letter" Mr Blake told Nikki and handed her an envelope with both hers and Harry's names written on the front. "I will leave a copy of my will with you"

"Thank you" Nikki nodded and shook the older man's hand as she stood up and saw him out of the house "I'm sorry about Harry, it's a bit of a shock to both of us"

"I would imagine so" the lawyer chuckled, shaking Nikki's hand again before turning and walking down the front path.

When Nikki walked back into the living room Harry was in tears. She quickly made her way over and wrapped her arms around him, rubbing his back soothingly as he cried into her shoulder. Tears filled Nikki's eyes which she quickly blinked away, kissing Harry's head repeatedly as she did so. Harry cried himself into exhaustion and soon fell asleep resting against his fiancé. Pressing a kiss onto his temple, Nikki grabbed a blanket and draped it over him on the sofa, gently laying him down and then proceeding to clean up the house.

* * *

**Once again I claim artistic rights about how much was left to Harry and Nikki...I again felt the need to spoil them :)**

**xxx**


	66. Chapter 66

"How's Harry?" Janet asked softly down the phone an hour later when Nikki had rung her. The blonde woman was sitting curled up on the armchair across from the still sleeping Harry. He looked so peaceful that Nikki hadn't dared to wake him, even when she had left the house to pop quickly to the shops, the note she had left for him untouched when she got back, signalling that he hadn't woken up.

"Distraught" Nikki replied, curling a piece of her hair through her finger as she spoke "I think the lawyer being here with the will just brought it crashing down on him. He's been fine up until now". 'That and the sheer amount that was left to him', she added in her head.

"He'll be fine, you're there for him" Janet told her younger friend.

"Hmm" Nikki nodded, looking down at her other hand before looking back at her fiancé "He proposed" she grinned.

"What? Really? When? You said yes, right?" Janet asked excitedly and Nikki tried not to laugh too loudly.

"Of course I said yes, what do you take me for Janet?" she giggled "He proposed in Rome, during breakfast one day, down on one knee in front of everyone else in the restaurant"

"Oh my God that's so romantic" Janet gushed and Nikki laughed loudly, turning back to Harry when he stirred and groaned, opening his eyes sleepily and looking around the room. "What's the ring like?"

"Gold, three diamonds across the top. I'll show you next time I see you" Nikki told Janet, smiling at Harry as he sat up, his hair in disarray. She then became aware of what was in her other hand and tried to slip it into her pocket without Harry seeing. No such luck. He was on his feet instantly and Nikki tried to hold her hand away from him and concentrate on what Janet was saying. Harry however just chuckled and rolled his eyes as he easily reached for Nikki's hand and took the objects from her. "Janet can I call you back? Harry's just woken up and I need to get back to him"

"Yeah that's fine. Have fun" Janet laughed pointedly and Nikki rolled her eyes "Bye"

"Bye"

Nikki quickly hung up and looked up at Harry who had a silly grin on his face.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't wait any longer. I know I told you not to get your hopes up but it was killing me not knowing" Nikki told him as she stood up.

"We're having a baby" Harry whispered as he looked at his fiancé. Nikki grinned and nodded as Harry pulled her closer to him and kissed her, wrapping his arms around her waist as Nikki wrapped hers around his neck, allowing him to deepen the kiss.

"The sickness did it for me" Nikki giggled as she broke the kiss. Harry however didn't want to move away from her just yet and kissed her again. "But as I said, I can't be any more than five weeks, so don't go telling people yet. I know what you're like"

"I promise" Harry nodded, running his free hand that wasn't holding the tests, through her hair "You're so amazing"

"Because I'm pregnant?"

"Because you're _you _and I love you so much"

"This can be our baby's room" Harry told Nikki later on as he directed her into one of the spare bedrooms in their new house. They had ordered a moving company to help them move most things from Nikki's house to this one, as well as from Harry's house as well. His mother's house definitely big enough to fit everything in.

Nikki giggled at Harry's enthusiasm. He had been permanently on a high since that morning when he had found out that she was pregnant. She couldn't blame him really, she too couldn't stop smiling every time she thought of the little life inside her that she and Harry had created. She had phoned up the hospital to book an appointment, glad to have one for the next day after someone had cancelled.

"Harry what about the other baby?" she asked him quietly and Harry grinned at her, taking her hand and leading her across the hallway to another room which was the same size.

"This can be our other baby's room" he told her as he stood behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders "We.._I_ need to get decorating if there's only a few more weeks until...hey, why are you crying?" he asked quietly when he realised that Nikki had tears streaming down her face.

"Thank you" she whispered as she wrapped her arms around Harry's neck and breathed in her comforting smell "Thank you so much"

Harry didn't say anything, he didn't need to. He just kissed his fiancé and held her as she cried.

"See, it didn't take that long did it?" Nikki asked Harry as she finished cleaning the room that was going to be their bedroom. "All it needed was a vacuum and a dust"

"The bed shouldn't take long to put up" Harry then told her from his position leaning against the doorframe. "It's all we need right now, everything else works. We can unpack things from tomorrow"

"I'll go and make us drinks while you start with the bed" she giggled "That should be fun"

Harry glared playfully at her, patting her bum as she walked passed him and down the hall to the stairs.

Nikki couldn't believe that she and Harry were going to be living in the large house. She had understood why Harry had never talked about how much his parents had, even he didn't realise the full amount, but he wasn't one to brag about money anyway. Other things yes. Money, no. They had both worked out that they could live comfortably for the rest of their life on the interest alone. However for some reason her thoughts strayed onto Janet and Leo. Nikki felt extremely guilty. The older couple had been trying for almost six months to get pregnant, and here she and Harry were, adopting a newborn and having one of their own very soon as well. Nikki's eyes glazed over and she quickly wiped the tears away, taking a deep breath and turning around to pour out the freshly boiled water, trying not to think about how Janet and Leo would react.

"It's not going to collapse when I sit on it is it?" Nikki eyed the bed wearily as she and Harry placed the mattress onto the newly put up bed.

"No it's not" Harry replied, looking her up and down "Although in a few months it might"

"Excuse me Dr Cunningham?" Nikki asked, trying not to smile at him and give herself away "What was that in aid of?"

"Nothing Dr Alexander" Harry told her, trying to look innocent.

"Was that a comment about the weight I will be gaining in a few months?"

"No, definitely not" Harry shook his head, walking over and wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Well I was going to let us christen the room" Nikki sighed, shaking her head as she spoke "Unfortunately we're not now"

"Nikki" Harry whined, leaning down to kiss her neck. Nikki however giggled and pushed his head away.

"Harry" she replied in the same tone "Go and get the sheets, duvet and pillow covers please"

"But Nik"

"Now Harry" Nikki told him, placing her hands on her hips "Or there definitely won't be any christening"

Much to Nikki's amusement Harry practically ran from the room to get the items that she had asked for.

Nikki had never been so nervous in her life. She and Harry were at the hospital for their first check up. The middle aged man, Dr Marlin, performing the ultrasound had been through the forms that they needed to fill out with all sorts of information, and Nikki was now laying on the bed while he got the ultrasound machine ready.

"You okay?" Harry asked her quietly and Nikki turned away from the blank screen next to the bed and nodded, giving him a small smile as she entwined their hands on the bed.

"Nervous"

"Me too" Harry nodded, leaning down and kissing her gently "But we get to see our baby"

"I know" Nikki giggled, excitement and fear bubbling up inside her. What if she wasn't pregnant and the test was false? She had done four of them just to make sure but it was always a possibility.

"Would you pull your top up for me please Nikki" Dr Marlin smiled as he walked back over, squeezing the gel onto the scanner and pressing some buttons on the computer next to them. The screen lit up and he pressed the scanner to Nikki's stomach. She hissed at the coldness and the doctor apologised.

"It's alright" Nikki smiled, leaning back against the pillows and glancing at Harry who was staring intently at the screen which was now showing a grainy image of her womb, his grip on her hand tightening.

"Ah there we go" Dr Marlin smiled, pointing to the bottom of the screen where Harry and Nikki could just about make out the shape of something that looked vaguely baby like. The doctor however frowned as he saw it and Nikki was suddenly scared.

"Is something wrong?" she asked and Harry looked at the doctor as well.

"Not that I can tell. But you said that you've only missed one period?"

"Yes" Nikki nodded.

"The baby is too developed to be only five weeks as we've calculated" Dr Marlin told them, making Harry and Nikki exchange a confused look. "Was your last period lighter and shorter than normal?"

"Hmm" Nikki nodded and Dr Marlin smiled.

"That would explain it then, it seems that you're further along than we thought. About eight or nine weeks. Some women bleed lightly during the first few months. It's nothing to worry about unless you're having pains with it as well"

"I wasn't" Nikki shook her head turning back to the screen to take another look at the baby. Her eyes filled with tears and she turned to Harry as a few dribbled down her cheek. "That's our baby" she whispered and Harry nodded, leaning up to kiss her. Neither of them could believe that she was further along than they thought, and while they had been trying for a baby in Rome, she had already been almost two months gone.

"She's perfect" he murmured as he did so and Nikki nodded quickly, reaching up to wipe her face with her free hand. "That's amazing" he chuckled, looking back at the screen, running his eyes over the tiny form of their little creation at the bottom. "We made that baby" he laughed tearfully and kissed Nikki again.

"Yes we did" Nikki nodded, grinning at him as she ran one hand through his hair.

"I love you so much"

"I love you more"

"Don't think so" Harry shook his head, kissing Nikki again before looking back at the screen, a look of utter awe on his face.

* * *

**I just had to :D**

**xxx**


	67. Chapter 67

"So, eight weeks" Harry muttered as he flicked through a baby book that they had brought that afternoon after coming out of the hospital. They had been the book store and acquired a few pregnancy books for them to read.

Nikki glanced down at him from where she was laying in bed, both of them totally naked after their passionate love making when they had finally returned home late that afternoon. Harry was lying next to her, his head by her stomach as he flicked through the pregnancy book in his hands.

"Eight weeks, here we go" he smiled as he found the page he was looking for "Every organ is in place and bones begin to replace cartilage" he read "fingerprints begin to form and the baby can also hear".

Harry grinned after he read this and pressed a kiss onto Nikki's stomach.

"Hello baby. I'm your daddy and this" he took Nikki's hand and placed it on her stomach "Is your mummy"

Nikki sniffed slightly and blinked away tears when she saw and heard Harry doing this. He glanced up at her and smiled, before turning back to her stomach.

"Mummy is going to be keeping you nice and safe and warm for the next few months until you are ready to meet us and the older sibling that you are probably going to get very soon. But daddy is the one who is going to be looking after mummy _and _you"

Harry kissed her stomach again, his lips lingering longer than before. He then turned his head and rested his cheek on the smooth skin.

"Nikki?"

"Hmm?" Nikki replied as she gently played with Harry's hair, her other hand still on her stomach next to his.

"We're having a baby"

"Yes we are" Nikki grinned.

"Ah welcome back, finally" Leo greeted them the next morning "It's been very quiet without you"

"Boring is the word you're looking for" Harry chuckled, patting Leo on the shoulder as he walked over to his desk, claiming it before Nikki could. Nikki giggled at her fiancé's actions and hugged Leo. They hadn't talked much at the funeral, Harry having been in a dark mood before so Leo and Janet had given them some space.

"I hear congratulations are in order" Leo said, taking Nikki's hand in his and looking at the ring. "Very nice"

"Thank you Leo" Nikki grinned, hugging him again.

"Thanks Leo"

"I hear he did it properly as well" Leo mock whispered and Harry rolled his eyes as Nikki nodded enthusiastically.

"Down on one knee, proper speech" she giggled, her heart racing as she remembered it.

"Yes yes, well how have you been?" Harry asked as he walked over, trying to stop any embarrassing stories that might be told. Leo suddenly sobered up and Nikki frowned.

"Leo?"

"Janet miscarried" he told his younger friends quietly "We didn't even know she was pregnant"

Both Harry and Nikki resisted the urge to cover her stomach protectively, that wasn't really what Leo wanted right now, to see that they were having a baby when he wasn't.

"We're so sorry Leo" Nikki whispered and Harry nodded in agreement as Leo sighed and shook his head. Janet had seemed okay on the phone, but she understood why the older woman hadn't said anything. Even thinking about it now was making Nikki feel unwell.

"They'll be other opportunities" Leo smiled at them "I'm fine, honest"

"Really?"

"Really" he gave them a genuine smile "I went through this so many times with Theresa. But for Janet..." Leo shrugged and Harry squeezed the older man's shoulder gently, praying that he and Nikki wouldn't have to go through that. They were saved from saying anything by the phone in Leo's office ringing. "That's probably the coroner"

Nikki let out a slow breath as Leo closed his office door and walked over to his desk.

"Okay, that was..."

"Awkward?" Nikki continued and Harry nodded.

"Yep"

"When do we tell him?" Harry murmured to Nikki later on that day as they were getting dressed for autopsy. He backed Nikki into her locker and placed one arm next to her, his other on her cheek as he leant down to kiss her.

"Harry, we're at work" Nikki giggled, even though she made no attempt to push him away "and I don't know"

"We're going to have to tell him soon. You're going to start showing in a few weeks" Harry whispered and Nikki sighed, leaning her head back against the locker.

"I can wear baggy tops for a while"

"And then what? When it become to obviosus to hide. 'By the way Leo we're five months pregnant?'"

"Harry keep your voice down" Nikki hissed, taking a worried glance at the double doors to make sure there wasn't anyone there. "We're not waiting that long.."

"You're already nearly eight weeks Nikki" Harry told her "Two months"

"I know how many bloody weeks pregnant I am" Nikki raised her voice, stopping when the double doors opened and Leo poked his head around.

"Are you two going to stand there kissing all day or are you coming in?" he rolled his eyes. He didn't begrudge them their intimate moments at work, who could blame them. If Janet worked with him he would be sneaking off with her.

"We'll be in in a minute Leo" Harry told the older man who could tell there was a serious conversation going on. He nodded and glance wearily from Nikki to Harry as he shut the door again. "We can't wait any longer than necessary"

"Three months. We'll tell him when I'm three months" Nikki pleaded, gripping the front of his scrubs in her fists as she looked at him, her deep brown eyes imploring him to agree with her. "Another three or four weeks with just us. That'll be it for the rest of the pregnancy. Everyone else will know at it won't be.." she licked her lips and shook her head "I want it to be just us for a bit longer. Please?"

"Okay" Harry nodded, leaning down to kiss her gently "But then we tell them both, no holding back. This is our news, we're extremely happy about it and I'm not having their _problems_ spilling into our life. Okay?"

"Harry" Nikki chided, shocked at the tone he was using when talking about Leo and Janet and their problems conceiving. "It's not their..."

"Nikki the only thing that's stopping you from going in there and telling Leo that you're going to be a mummy is the fact that Janet and Leo are going to be hurt and upset" Harry told her loudly, motioning to the cutting room.

"Harry please" Nikki begged, shaking her head, scared that Leo would hear.

"It is isn't it?" Harry asked, frustrated.

"Yes" Nikki whispered.

Harry shook his head and rested his other hand on the other side of his fiancé.

"It is their problem Nikki if they can't have a child" he told her slowly, shaking his head "Not ours. If they get upset then that's their problem, it can't ruin our happiness as well. These next few months are going to be the best months that have ever happened to me Nikki" he was pleading with her now, tears in his eyes. Nikki bit back a sob and leant up to kiss him, nodding her agreement and showing what he said was the same for her as well "I don't want them ruined"

"I know, I'm sorry" Nikki whispered, as she kissed him, running one hand through his hair, the other stroking his face gently.

"Now we wait until you are three months, and then we tell them" Harry told her forcibly as he turned his head and kissed the palm of her hand, then placed the same hand on her stomach over her scrubs, making Nikki smile. "I love you" he kissed her on the lips before bending down and kissing her stomach through her scrubs "and I love you"

Nikki had to hold back tears as Harry did this, gently running her hand through his hair as he straightened up. Nikki wiped her face and chuckled as Harry attempted to flatten his hair.

"Ready now?" he asked and motioned towards the cutting room.

"Yeah" Nikki nodded, following her lover through the double doors.

"Harry we've got to tell Leo about the baby" Nikki told her fiancé later that evening after a surprise visit from a social worker and her father. The kind middle aged woman had gone through procedural questions with them, showing them a letter from the birth mother of the child. Because both the mother and the father of the child had specified Harry and Nikki and they were willing to take the child from birth, they would be getting the baby as soon as he or she was released from the hospital. The friendly woman was glad that the child was going to a loving family and not straight into a children's home. She had then checked that they had everything that a young baby needed, they did, and said that she would bring the child as soon as it was born.

"I thought we said three months"

"Not this baby" Nikki replied, rubbing her stomach slightly through the towel she was wearing "The other baby"

"Ah that baby" Harry chuckled, causing Nikki to roll her eyes.

"Yes _that_ baby" she giggled and Harry smiled at her as he pulled her closer to where he was sitting on the edge of the bed. "It's not going to be easy, especially since we're having two and they haven't got _one_"

"I know" Harry nodded as he undid the towel and let it fall to the floor, kissing her stomach gently when he saw it was head height with him. He then rested his cheek on her skin and closed his eyes as Nikki gently played with his hair. "We're both going to have to have time off"

"A lot of time for me. Once I'm allowed back after leave with the first one I'll then be on leave with this one" she patted her stomach next to Harry's head.

"You don't sound worried. I thought you'd be a bit apprehensive"

Nikki shrugged slightly.

"No point being apprehensive is there? We're having two babies and that's final"

"I suppose" Harry murmured against her stomach as he kissed it.

"Okay so maybe I'm a little bit scared" Nikki giggled and Harry smiled up at her "Don't tell me you're not"

"I am scared" Harry nodded "But we'll both be fine"

* * *

**I have no idea how adoption works for newborns...so just go with me when I say that Harry and Nikki will be getting the child a few hours after he/she is born because of help from Victor and the birth mother. Thanks :D**

**xxx**


	68. Chapter 68

"Leo we need to talk to you" Harry told Leo firmly as he pulled Nikki into the older man's office "It's important"

"Nothing's wrong I hope" Leo said, a concerned frown on his face as his two younger friends sat themselves down on the sofa.

"No, we're fine" Nikki said quickly before Harry could say anything "It's complicated" she sighed.

"Go ahead" Leo shrugged as Harry kissed Nikki gently on the temple.

"Almost nine months ago now my father had a relationship with a young woman" Nikki started, wringing her hands on her lap until Harry reached over and took on in his own. "she got pregnant. But neither of them want the baby. The young woman because she just doesn't want a child and dad because he doesn't think he could give the baby a good life. Which I agree with"

"So we're adopting the baby" Harry told Leo quickly as Nikki hesitated slightly "From birth. The social worker has already been round and confirmed everything. The young woman has written an official letter giving him over to us and with her and Victor's intervention we are having him or her as soon as they're born"

"Well congratulations" Leo grinned, both Harry and Nikki could see the utter sincerity in his voice "You'll make brilliant parents"

"Thank you Leo" Nikki smiled and Harry nodded, a grin on his face "But we're going to need leave"

"Of course" Leo nodded, standing up and allowing Nikki to hug him. She chuckled into his neck as she did so and then pulled away as Harry stood up and shook Leo's hand, both of them pulling the other into a 'manly hug'. Nikki giggled at the both of them and rolled her eyes. "Congratulations" he told them again.

"Will you be godfather?" Nikki asked the older man and Leo looked shocked.

"Really?" he whispered, looking from Nikki to Harry who was nodding then back to Nikki again "I would love to" he told them tearfully "Thank you"

"What about Janet?" Nikki enquired quietly and Leo sighed.

"You were worried about telling me because of what's been happening?"

Nikki nodded and bit her lip, moving a bit closer to Harry as he wrapped his arm around her from behind.

"Don't be" he shook his head "You can tell me anything, you know that. Janet will be okay"

"I'm pregnant" Nikki blurted out and Harry threw her a shocked look, one that was also mirrored on Leo's face.

"Wh..what?"

"I'm pregnant. Almost nine weeks" Nikki repeated, her hand straying to her stomach, silently pleading with Leo to be happy for them. Harry smiled proudly at his fiancé and kissed her gently.

"Congratulations" Leo chuckled "You're going to tell me it's twins next aren't you?"

"No" Nikki giggled and Leo laughed along with Harry "Well it could be, another one could show up on another scan" she chuckled and both men gave her an alarmed look "What?"

"Well you'll both be fine with two young children. You'll be perfect parents" Leo smiled, hugging Nikki again and kissing her on the head. "and don't worry about Janet, I'll talk to her. Do you want me to tell her?"

"Please" Harry nodded, wrapping his arms around Nikki and kissing her on the forehead "It's not that we don't want to, it's just.."

"I understand" Leo held up his hand and nodded "Trust me I do"

"Thank you Leo" Nikki whispered.

The next morning Harry and Nikki were woken up eight o'clock by their doorbell ringing loudly. Harry groaned and sat up slightly, rubbing his eyes as he glanced down at his stirring fiancé.

"Go and open the door" she murmured, reaching behind her to shove Harry out of the bed. Harry chuckled and rolled his eyes, climbing out of bed and picking up his discarded boxers, pulling on some tracksuit bottoms and a t-shirt while he was at it. He quickly made his way down the stairs and to the front door, unlocking it and opening it slightly.

"Nikki" he called out when he saw who it was, opening the door wider and allowing the social worker into the house. "It's Maria"

Nikki didn't think she had got out of bed so quickly in her life. She threw on her pyjamas and almost ran down the stairs and into the living room.

"Good morning" the social worker they had been working with smiled. She put the baby carrier in her hand on the sofa and motioned for Nikki and Harry to come closer. "He's yours, you can see him"

"Him?" Nikki smiled as she quickly walked over to the sofa and crouched down in front of the carrier, something stirring in her that she had never felt before in her life. The newborn was asleep, a shock of blonde, almost white, hair on his head. "Harry look he's gorgeous" she whispered tearfully.

"He was born four hours ago" Maria informed Harry and Nikki "The mother..lost too much blood"

Nikki sighed sadly and shook her head, reaching out with shaking hands to undo the straps that held the baby securely in his seat. Harry crouched down next to his fiancé and smiled at her, kissing her on the cheek as she lifted the baby out of the seat.

"Hello" she whispered to the baby as he opened his still blue eyes, letting out a small cry, until he seemed to realise that he was in the arms of someone who already loved him and settled down again, sucking on his fist and staring up at Nikki. "You're beautiful".

Nikki realised that she was crying and Harry pulled her closer to him, kissing her on the head.

"He's gorgeous" he told Nikki "Your colour hair" he chuckled, stroking the baby's head gently.

"Your father wanted me to give you a message" Maria told them as she seated herself on the edge of the arm chair "He said she looked like your mother and that he's sorry"

Nikki nodded and swallowed a lump that had formed in her throat.

"Would you like a drink?" Harry enquired to no-one in particular and Maria and Nikki accepted. He kissed Nikki again before standing up and walking through to the kitchen. Nikki stood up and sat herself on the sofa, gently cradling the baby boy in her arms and smiling down at him.

"Do you have any names picked out?" Maria asked Nikki kindly, seeing that the young woman had slipped into being a mother almost instantly. She had been doing her job long enough to know a natural mother when she saw one, and Nikki was one of those women. She just had to see what Harry was like before she could let herself leave. She had no doubt that Harry would be a great father, she just needed to see it.

"I have a few" Nikki nodded, kissing the newborn on the head as she spoke "But to be honest it's been so quick that we haven't discussed any yet"

"I understand, it must have been a shock to you both"

"That's an understatement" Nikki sighed, smiling at the baby and letting the newborn grip one of her fingers tightly. "But it's my father, I'm used to it" she sighed and shook her head "It's weird..I love him already like he's my own"

"Here we go" Harry interrupted whatever Maria was going to say as he walked into the room carrying three mugs. He handed one to the social worker who thanked him, and then placed his and Nikki's on the table in the middle of the room. "Hello" he grinned as he turned to the baby in Nikki's arms. He reached over and Nikki carefully handed the little boy to his daddy. "Hello you. Aren't you gorgeous" Harry cooed, gently placing the baby on his shoulder and kissing the top of his head. Maria got the conformation she needed. She smiled into her drink as she sipped it slowly.

"I have a birth certificate here. The mother wished to remain unnamed..."

"Was she a prostitute?" Nikki interrupted and Maria sighed, that was all Nikki needed. "What was he _thinking_?"

"He probably wasn't" Harry told her, kissing her on the lips as she moved closer to him. Nikki smiled as she reached up and stroked their son's hair gently. "She looked like your mother so he went with her. Which is very good for us because he has your hair" he cooed the last part to the baby "Now what shall we name you eh?"

"Your names could go on the birth certificate" Maria told them quickly, wanting to let that be known to them "It's not normal procedure for other adoptions, but as both birth parents don't want their names on it, then it will be possible for you to have your names"

"Yeah we'd love that" Nikki nodded, smiling at the social worker as Harry nodded his consent as well.

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**Once again I have no idea how the adoption stuff works, so just go with me on this one :D**

**xxx**


	69. Chapter 69

"What are we going to name you?" Harry cooed to the quiet baby as he rubbed his back gently, glancing at Nikki as he spoke. "Hmm?"

Maria had left them a few minutes beforehand, letting them have time together to bond. She had told them to call when they had named the baby and she would come back to fill out the birth certificate.

"What names do you like?"

"Harry" Nikki replied, stroking the baby's hand gently, a smile on her face. "I think it suits him"

"Honestly?"

"Yes" Nikki nodded and frowned "You don't want to name him Harry?"

"It's not that I don't want to, I just want him to have his own name" Harry shrugged and Nikki nodded.

"Okay, he can have Harry as his middle name then" Nikki smiled and Harry leant over to kiss her on the lips as he nodded.

"I'd like that"

"Cunningham or Alexander?" Nikki then enquired as she reached over and took their son from Harry, gently cradling him in her arms so Harry could see him.

"I think Alexander just until we get married" Harry smiled at the baby, tickling his stomach gently before taking his hand and stroking it gently "Then he gets the best of both worlds"

"Just like his daddy always wants" Nikki giggled and Harry tried to look offended.

"Mummy thinks she's funny, but she's not" he mock whispered to their son. Nikki tried to hold back tears that threatened to fall, but failed as a few fell down her cheeks, dripping onto the babygrow. "Hey" Harry murmured, leaning over and kissing her, wiping her face as he did so. "It's alright"

"I know" Nikki nodded, taking in a deep breath as she did so, smiling tearfully at her fiancé. "we have this little one and another one on the way and it's brilliant. And to hear you call me 'mummy', it just gets to me, in a good way"

"You should feel my insides when you call me daddy" Harry chuckled, nuzzling her neck slightly and kissing her skin as he spoke "I swear they turn to mush every time"

Nikki giggled loudly and kissed him soundly on the lips.

"I love you"

"I love you" Harry nodded "You're so irresistible" he whispered against her lips, smiling as he moved away. "If this little one" he placed his hand on her stomach "is a girl, we're going to have a big problem on our hands"

Nikki rolled her eyes at her fiancé and he tried to look contrite.

"At least you will be here to fight all those nasty boys off won't you?" Harry cooed to the baby as he gently tickled his stomach "Yes you will won't you?"

"Well he won't be if he doesn't have a name" Nikki pointed out, kissing the baby on the forehead as she shifted him in her arms so he was closer to her chest. "Hmm, what suits you sweetheart?" she cooed, stroking the baby's cheek gently. The baby whimpered and made sucking noises with his mouth as he manoeuvred himself towards Nikki's breasts. Nikki almost cried as she realised she couldn't give the baby what he wanted. "Could you.." she didn't look at Harry as she spoke but felt him nod and climb off the sofa. The baby then started to cry and Nikki soothed him gently, she wanted above anything at that moment to be able to feed him from her but knew it wasn't possible. A few minutes later Harry walked back into the room with a bottle of formula and handed it to Nikki. She quickly offered it to the crying baby who latched on immediately, sucking forcibly from the teat.

"He's strong" Harry chuckled and Nikki smiled and nodded, shifting the baby again so he was sitting up slightly, his blue eyes staring at Harry. "I'm sorry you can't breastfeed him"

"I know" Nikki sighed "But we always have number two" she giggled as Harry placed his hand on her stomach under her pyjama top. "Can we do this?" she then asked her fiancé quietly. "Two young babies"

"It'll just be like having twins" Harry shrugged, kissing her on the cheek "But seven months apart"

"True" Nikki nodded "We'll be alright won't we?" she cooed to the yet un-named baby in her arms.

"We're going to have to call Leo" Harry murmured into her shoulder as he kissed her warm skin "Tell him that we're parents earlier than we expected"

"He won't be at work now will he?" Nikki enquired, looking at the clock as she did so "Actually knowing Leo he will be. Ring his mobile just in case"

"Yes ma'am" Harry chuckled as he reached for the home phone and scrolled through the names, before pressing the dial button. Nikki turned back to their son and took the bottle away from him as the child turned his head away, his face screwing up.

"Had enough have you?" Nikki cooed, trying to feed him again but getting the same result "You've had a lot haven't you?" she whispered as Harry walked back into the living room after quickly getting up and walking out. He smiled as he placed the bib that he had picked up, on her shoulder nearest him and Nikki began to burp their son.

"Leo, about time" Harry chuckled as the phone on the other end was answered. Nikki was close enough to hear what Leo was saying down the phone.

"_Harry honestly, I hope those two children of yours aren't as sarcastic as you" _Leo laughed and Nikki felt a swell of pride that Leo was talking about their children already. Obviously he wasn't around Janet.

"Where are you?"

"_Just leaving the house"_ was the reply and they heard a car door slam shut _"Why?"_

"We'd like you to come and meet our son" Harry chuckled and Nikki giggled at him as he leant down and kissed the baby on the head.

"_Your son? Already?" _Leo asked and both younger pathologists could hear the excitement in his voice.

"Yeah, two weeks early but absolutely perfect" Harry grinned, stroking the baby's hand gently "Come and meet him if you want"

"_I'll be there straight away"_ Leo told them quickly.

"Good, he wants to meet his uncle. See you"

"_Bye"_

Harry then hung up the phone and Nikki laughed loudly, shaking her head as she handed the freshly burped baby to his father. She took the bib from her shoulder and stood up.

"Both of these children are going to be absolutely spoilt aren't they?" she commented, patting her stomach gently as she wandered into the kitchen to put the bib in the washing machine.

"Of course they are" Harry cooed, gently holding the back of the baby's head as he held up him in front of his face, kissing his tiny nose. Nikki smiled at the pair of them and grabbed the camera that was on the side in the kitchen. She took a quick picture of the scene in front of her and walked back to the sofa, a grin on her face as she looked down at the picture on the screen.

"You look perfect with him" she commented as she sat back down, curling her legs under her.

"Come on" Harry chuckled as he handed the baby to Nikki and took the camera from her "We need some pictures of you as well"

Leo couldn't help the pride that shot through him as he walked into the living room and saw Nikki sitting on the sofa with the baby on her chest, stroking his blonde hair gently. He had known that Harry and Nikki were perfect for each other and that it was just a matter of time before they saw it. But now they were together, the woman he thought of as his own daughter and the man who had wormed his way into Leo's affections, with one baby and another on the way. He felt old.

"Hello" Nikki grinned as she turned to see Leo standing in the doorway, she patted the sofa next to her and Leo walked over and sat down. Harry wandered into the kitchen to make drinks, but not before patting Leo on the shoulder, smiling gently at him. "This is your godson"

Nikki gently manoeuvred the baby into her hands and then passed him carefully to Leo who took him hesitantly. Leo hadn't held a baby this tiny since Cassie had been born, but it all came back to him as he cradled the baby securely in his arms.

"Hello" he cooed to the baby, who was wide awake and staring up at him "Aren't you gorgeous? You have mummy's hair" he chuckled. It had amazed him how quickly he called Nikki 'mummy' and not just Nikki.

"Apparently she looked like mum" Nikki commented and Leo knew who 'she' was "She died giving birth to him"

"Poor woman" Leo muttered and Nikki made a noise of agreement. "But you're his mummy anyway, birth mother or not"

Nikki felt her eyes fill with tears when she heard Leo say this and she leant over to kiss him on the cheek.

"Thank you"

"You have no idea how proud I am of you Nikki, of both of you" he added when Harry walked into the room with drinks for them.

"Thank you Leo" Harry smiled, walking past them to sit on the armchair but not before kissing Nikki "That means a lot to us"

"Now how does it feel being an uncle?" Nikki laughed and Leo chuckled and shrugged.

"Grandpa" Harry muttered and Leo glared at him while Nikki giggled. "Sorry?" the younger male pathologist tried to look innocent but a smile broke over his face.

"You'd better be" Leo grinned at Harry before looking back at the baby in his arms "Hello you, I'm your Uncle Leo" he chuckled and both Harry and Nikki were surprised to see tears in his eyes. Nikki reached over and placed her hand on his arm, squeezing it gently as she did so. "you know you have me wrapped around your little finger already and I don't even know your name"

"We haven't thought of one yet" Harry explained "Well we have his middle and last name, just not a first name yet. He's got Harry Alexander already"

"I wanted Harry as his first name but Harry wanted him to have a name of his own"

"I agree with that" Leo nodded at Harry and the younger pathologist threw a triumphant smirk at Nikki who poked her tongue out at him. Leo rolled his eyes at their antics. "My God you wouldn't think you were both parents"

Both of his friends laughed loudly as he shook his head.

"Honestly, your mummy and daddy are like a pair of children themselves" he told the baby who sneezed suddenly and caused the three adults to laugh. "I haven't told Janet yet. I suppose I'll have to now"

"Hmm" Nikki nodded, gently playing with her son's hand.

"Do you want me to tell her about you being pregnant as well?" Leo enquired, pride in his voice when he said that. He still couldn't believe that the two young people that he had met all those years ago were having a baby, another baby, together.

"Please" Nikki whispered and the baby began to fuss. Leo gently offered him back to her and Nikki took the baby, kissing his head and cradling him against her shoulder. "I think it would be better coming from you"

"Okay" Leo nodded. He had no idea how Janet would react to the news that Harry and Nikki had two children, while they had none.

* * *

**Two more chapters to go. I've also got some oneshots that I want to write, they'll be uploaded as an ongoing story rather than individual stories but they will all be separate from each other.**

**xxx**


	70. Chapter 70

A month later and they were all settled down perfectly. Leo had broken the news to Janet, who , instead of being distraught like they thought she would have been, was ecstatic for Harry and Nikki, much to everyone's relief. Jennifer and Kathy had been on holiday together, to get away from the divorce proceedings for Kathy, when Nikki had told them over the phone. Harry had heard the screaming from the other side of the room while he had been feeding the baby. James, Lewis, William and Erik had been pleased for them both, especially when Nikki had asked them to be uncles. She could only imagine what mischief her children would be getting up to with those four as uncles.

"Here we go, all clean" Harry smiled as he walked into the bedroom with Nathanial in his arms. "Here's mummy"

Nikki smiled at her boys as Harry placed the baby on her stomach, a slight bump having formed in the past month.

"And there's your little brother or sister" Harry added as he lay next to Nikki, his head near her stomach, pressing a kiss to Nathanial's head and then to her bump. Nikki giggled and gently held the baby to her with one hand, the other trailing through Harry's hair.

"Another scan today" she reminded him and Harry nodded, tearing his eyes away from the baby to look at her.

"Why do they want to do another one so soon?"

"Just to make sure they got the due day right" Nikki replied, stroking his hair gently as she spoke. "They just want to double check, what with me having the period in the first month"

"I knew that" Harry nodded confidently and Nikki rolled her eyes "I did" he whined.

"Of _course _you did Harry" Nikki giggled "We believe you"

"Good" her fiancé chuckled, leaning down to kiss her bump again. He traced the bottom of her stomach gently with one finger, making Nikki squirm slightly.

"I need maternity clothes. Mine are a bit tight now" Nikki told him as she rubbed Nathanial's back gently, the baby lifted his head slightly and looked at his mother before whimpering and laying back down again. Nikki giggled and moved him so he was lying on her chest instead. This gave Harry better access to her stomach which he took advantage of straight away, pressing kisses along the slightly raised bump.

"We'll go after the scan today" he murmured against her warm skin, stroking it gently as he did so. Nikki loved just laying there with her two boys, without having to even think about the world outside their happy little bubble. "We'll be able to hear her heartbeat today"

"I know" Nikki giggled "I can't wait"

"I'll take tissues for you" Harry chuckled and Nikki pushed his head slightly as she pouted at him.

"For you yes" she laughed and Harry grinned up at her "Daddy's going to be a blubbering wreck Nathanial" she told the baby on her chest, leaning down to kiss him as Harry scoffed loudly and shook his head.

"You insult my manliness"

"You cried at the first scan" Nikki pointed out.

"So did you"

"I'm hormonal, I'm allowed to" Nikki shot back and Harry sighed, realising that he had lost that argument.

"and who's this gorgeous little one?" Dr Marlin cooed at Nathanial as Harry placed the baby carrier on the chair next to his.

"Nathanial, our son" Nikki smiled and the doctor raised an eyebrow "Adopted, it's complicated"

It wasn't his place to ask so Dr Marlin didn't.

"Right we're just going to confirm your due date today" he told Nikki as she climbed onto the bed. He eyed her stomach with a frown on his face, seeing the bump under her t-shirt. He looked away and made a quick note on a sheet of paper before motioning for Nikki to pull up her top. She did so and he poured some gel onto the ultrasound scanner. "and you'll be able to hear the baby's heartbeat" he smiled at them both as he turned the computer on next to the bed.

Nikki gripped Harry's hand tightly and he gave her an encouraging smile, leaning down to kiss her gently as Dr Marlin placed the scanner on her stomach. Nikki winced slightly but then turned to look at the screen intently as the image of her womb filled the screen.

"There we go" Dr Marlin said softly as he focused the scanner on the bottom of her stomach.

"She looks more baby like" Harry whispered to his fiancé who tutted and slapped him on the chest, rolling her eyes.

"That's our baby you're being mean to" she giggled and Harry kissed her, feeling his eyes well up again as he looked at their tiny baby.

"And if I just.." Dr Marlin mumbled, pushing a button on the computer and then on the scanner. A rapid beating noise filled the room and the doctor smiled. "That's the heartbeat"

Nikki bit her lip to stop herself sobbing as she heard her baby's heart beating rapidly. She turned to Harry and saw that he was having a hard time not crying as well. She leant up slightly and kissed him, whispering how much she loved him. He told her the same thing before she lay back down again. However they both saw the frown on Dr Marlin's face as he listened intently to the heartbeat.

"What is it?" Nikki asked quickly but he shook his head.

"Nothing to worry about Nikki" he smiled, standing up and taking the scanner away from her stomach. The rapid beating stopped. "I'll be back in a few minutes, please don't worry"

He then walked from the room and left Nikki feeling extremely worried.

"Harry" she murmured, gripping his hand tightly and shaking her head, her hand going to her slight bump and stroking it gently. Harry glanced at her stomach and frowned, there had been something niggling at the back of his mind ever since he had seen her bump growing quickly. "What is it?"

Harry was about to answer when Nathanial let out a loud wail. He quickly turned to sort their son out, knowing that he wasn't hungry. He checked his nappy and saw that was clean as well, and realised that the baby just needed some attention.

"Likes attention just as much as his mummy" Harry laughed and Nikki rolled her eyes, reaching up to stroke her baby's blonde hair. The child looked up at Harry imploringly, his dark brown eyes staring at his daddy as he began to calm down, whimpers and coughs escaping his lips. Both Harry and Nikki had been very surprised at his eye colour and Nikki knew that her father had been with the prostitute because she had looked like Nikki's mother, even her eyes.

The door opened and Dr Marlin walked in with another man his age. He introduced himself as Dave, giving them both a reassuring smile, glancing at the baby before turning to the screen. Dr Marlin reapplied some gel and placed the scanner back on Nikki's stomach, the heartbeat started again and the middle aged men conversed in quiet tones, all the time pointing to the screen. Dave smiled suddenly and nodded, patting Dr Marlin on the shoulder and chuckling.

"What is it?" Harry asked, concerned for his baby now.

"You may have noticed that Nikki is bigger than most mothers are at twelve weeks" Dr Marlin told them both with a smile on his face. Harry nodded, he had noticed this from the pictures in the pregnancy books. Nikki just shrugged and told them both that all women were different and she hadn't worried about it. "Well that's because you are carrying twins"

For the first time in a long time, both Harry and Nikki were completely speechless.

* * *

**Hehehehe.**

**One chapter left now.**

**xxx**


	71. Chapter 71

There was a loud cry and a splash from the garden and Nikki sighed loudly, breaking away from her husband's kisses and pushing him away slightly. Harry chuckled and took her hand in his, leading her to the French doors that lead into the garden.

"Go and sort your sons out" she laughed as they walked through to the large back garden to see their three oldest spluttering around in the swimming pool, two of their other children were standing by the edge of the pool, laughing loudly, and one was sitting on the hammock between two of the trees, watching the proceedings and grinning.

"Boys what are you doing?" Harry sighed dramatically as he walked over to the pool and saw Nathanial, Theo and Samuel treading water.

"Nothing dad" the ten year old identical twins replied at the same time as they grinned. While their older 'brother' was the spitting image of Nikki (Harry had always thanked whatever he believed in that her father had at least had some taste in women), the twins were exact replicas of Harry, right down to their floppy hair and cheeky smiles.

"Why don't I believe you" Harry chuckled, turning around and grinning at his fourth son who was eight. "and what are you laughing at young man?" he grinned. Picking up the laughing boy in his arms and turning to his other children "What shall we do with Thomas?"

"In the pool" the other children yelled at the same time and Harry threw his son into the water, the young boy rising to the surface as he continued to laugh.

"Daddy you're mean" he poked his tongue out, pushing his blonde hair away from his eyes and pushing Theo out of the way. "Tony is laughing as well" he pointed to the six year old boy next to Harry.

Anthony took one look at his father and ran off down the garden, Harry following quickly, both of them laughing loudly. Nikki rolled her eyes at her family and sat down on one of the benches in the garden, smiling as Theo hauled himself out of the pool, Nathanial doing the same, followed quickly by Samuel, who was quickly pushed back into the water by his older brothers. Nikki chuckled and shook his head as he shouted at them indignantly, the boys running down the garden as he hauled himself out again. They had explained to their children about why Nathanial had a different birthday to Theo and Samuel but was still the same age. The three of them acted more like triplets than twins and an older brother anyway, and when they heard the truth from Harry and Nikki, the twins, six years old at the time, had asked Nathaniel if he wanted to become their triplet. Nikki remembered almost breaking down in front of them but had held herself together as Harry smiled proudly at their boys. Nathanial had then made everyone celebrate his birthday on the same day as Theo's and Samuel's, saying that when he was older he was going to change it officially.

"Tony too fast for you in your old age dear?" Nikki sniggered as her husband walked over and collapsed onto the bench next to her.

"I'm not old" Harry spluttered, kissing her quickly much to their son's disgust "Quiet you lot" he glared playfully at them before kissing Nikki again "Just wait until you get girlfriends or boyfriends and you want to kiss them"

There was a chorus of 'eughs' from the five boys and they all laughed, running in different directions as Harry quickly jumped off the bench, running after them around the huge garden.

"Ah look who I've got" Harry laughed triumphantly as he scooped four year old Adam into his arms, kissing the laughing child on the cheek "I've caught an Adam"

"No daddy" Adam laughed hysterically as Harry started to tickle him "Mama help"

"Mummy can't help you now" Harry told his son in a 'menacing' voice, making his way over to the pool where the other boys were getting in to try and escape their father. Nikki laughed loudly as Harry gently through their four year old into the pool amongst his brothers, knowing that they wouldn't get too rough with him in there, even though they could all swim perfectly well.

While the boys messed around in the pool Harry took the opportunity to go and sit with his wife, wrapping his arm around her back and kissing her soundly.

"I love you, do I ever tell you?"

"Only about five times a day" Nikki giggled, kissing him again "I love you"

"What time are Leo and Janet getting here with their lot?" Harry enquired, glancing at his watch that was on the table next to them.

The older couple had managed to conceive a son three months after Nikki had given birth to Theo and Samuel. Then two years after that another little boy. However over the years there had been various miscarriages as well, two for Janet and four for Nikki, it had been difficult but they all found their feet again afterwards.

"About twelve" Nikki replied "We have half an hour"

"Before we're overrun by more children" Harry laughed and Nikki nodded, fiddling slightly with his floppy hair. "What is it?" He could always tell when there was something bothering his wife.

"Well we have about seven months before _we're_ over run with another child" she whispered. Harry stared at her for a few seconds before a grin spread over his face and he pulled his wife into a gentle hug, kissing her head repeatedly as he whispered 'thank you' over and over.

"You're brilliant I hope you know that" Harry grinned to her as he kissed her soundly.

"So I've been told" Nikki giggled "God, seven children" she laughed and Harry smiled, kissing her again. "I never even thought I'd have _one_ with you"

"and here we are" Harry whispered as he pulled away, placing his hand on her still flat stomach over her swimming costume, just above her shorts. "Can we please have a girl this time? I mean six boys is lovely but it would be nice to have a little girl"

"Well that's nothing to do with me" Nikki laughed, flicking her long hair over her shoulder "That's up to you Dr Cunningham"

"Hmm" Harry nodded, kissing her once more.

"Dad that's gross" Nathanial moaned as he ran over to grab some food from the table "Do you have to?"

"Yes I do" Harry nodded, poking his son in the side and making the boy giggle "Just you wait until you're older and you bring someone home"

"I'm terrified" Nathanial grinned cheekily at his father and Harry glared playfully at him. Nikki giggled loudly at the look on her husband's face. Nathanial may look just like her, but he had developed Harry's cheeky personality and dry sense of humour. Their son grinned as he chewed his piece of carrot, swallowing it slowly as he backed away from the bench and back to the pool. Harry quickly ran after him and jumped in the pool, causing the boys to laugh and splash him mercilessly.

"Mummy you come in as well" Antony called, beckoning Nikki over to the pool. The other children all shouted 'yeah', 'come on mummy' and generally pleaded with her. Nikki couldn't help but comply, walking over and sitting on the edge of the pool with her legs in the water, a smile on her face as Harry eyed her stomach.

"Now boys..and Theo" Harry said, a grin on his face.

"Hey" his son pouted, splashing his dad and poking his tongue out at him.

"I'm sorry" Harry sighed dramatically before smiling up at his wife "Anyway, you all have to be careful with mummy okay? Because she's going to have another baby"

There was a loud chorus of cheering from the boys as Harry pulled Nikki gently into the water and kissed her, all of the boys happy that they were getting yet another younger sibling.

"We're going to have to stop at some point" Harry told Nikki quietly as the boys went around playing in the pool, his hand resting on her stomach under the water. "I know we have the room and the money but I'm only thinking of your health"

"Harry" Nikki sighed, running her hand through his wet hair "We've done well already. We'll know when to stop"

Six months later when their identical twin daughters, Imogen and Faye, were born after an unassisted home birth just like the rest of the children, even Nikki admitted to Harry that these were their last children. Harry however had been too wrapped up in his tiny newborn princesses to hear Nikki tell him that he was getting the snip. Nikki smiled at her husband as he cooed over the newborns, both of them glad that they finally had girls to add to their brood of boys. Both of them completely satisfied with what life had given them.

* * *

**Hehehehe again :D. **

**So that's it guys, all over. I know it kind of branched out from the whole 'Harry is injured thing' but you know, muses and all that. Thank you for all your reviews, they've been amazing :D**

**xxx**


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